Lundbeck
H. Lundbeck A/S is a Danish international pharmaceutical company engaged in the research and development, production, marketing, and sale of drugs for the treatment of disorders in the central nervous system, including depression, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.
Headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, Lundbeck has international production facilities in Denmark, Italy and France and affiliates or sales offices in more than 50 countries. Lundbeck employs around 5,000 people globally, and the company’s products are registered in more than 100 countries worldwide.
In 2017, the company's revenue was DKK 17.2 billion.
Lundbeck is listed on the Copenhagen Stock Exchange.
Lundbeck is a full member of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations and of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations
History
The company was founded by Hans Lundbeck in 1915, and was initially a trading company supplying a variety of goods to the Danish market, including machinery for manufacturing, aluminium foil, artificial sweeteners, and photographic equipment.Lundbeck entered the pharmaceutical market in 1924, importing medicines and cosmetics from companies based in other European and American countries. By the late 1930s, Lundbeck had begun to produce its own medicinal products and had established its own research department. Production continued during the Second World War, although it was limited due to a lack of raw materials.
After the war, Lundbeck continued to grow and in 1957 the company introduced Truxal for the treatment of schizophrenia, entering the market for brain disorders. In 1954, the Lundbeck Foundation was established to maintain and expand the activities of Lundbeck Group and also to provide funding for scientific research of the highest quality.
From the late 1970s and up through the 1980s, Lundbeck diverted its old agency business and thus became a dedicated pharmaceutical company focusing on the production of drugs used to treat disorders and diseases of the central nervous system.
In 1989, Lundbeck launched the antidepressant Celexa, which became the cornerstone for the company’s international expansion and in 2009 Lundbeck, bought Ovation and established a commercial platform in the USA.
In 2012, to focus on newer, strategic CNS-products, Lundbeck sold a portfolio of non-core products to Recordati S.p.A.. In 2014 Lundbeck acquired Chelsea Therapeutics for up to $658 million.
In March 2018, the company acquired Prexton Therapeutics for up to €905 million
In June 2018, the former Millennium Pharmaceuticals CEO, Deborah Dunsire, was named the new CEO of Lundbeck.
In September 2019 Lundbeck announced it would acquire Alder BioPharmaceuticals $18 per share, valuing Alder at almost $2 billion.
Key products
Lundbeck markets a number of different pharmaceuticals for the treatment of psychiatric and neurological disorders. The most recently launched compounds include: Rexulti, Brintellix and Abilify Maintena.Lundbeck manufactures drugs such as:
Brand name | INN | Drug class | Indication | Notes |
Abilify Maintena | Aripiprazole | Atypical antipsychotic | Maintenance treatment of schizophrenia | Co-marketed with Otsuka |
Azilect | Rasagiline | MAOB inhibitor | Parkinson's disease | In some countries co-marketed with Teva |
Brintellix, Trintellix | Vortioxetine | SRI multimodal antidepressant | Major depressive disorder | Co-marketed in the USA with Takeda, who also has rights to Japan |
Cipramil, Celexa, Seropram | Citalopram | SSRI | Major depressive disorder Anxiety disorders | |
Cipralex, Lexapro | Escitalopram | SSRI | Major depressive disorder Generalized anxiety disorder | -enantiomer of citalopram |
Clopixol, Cisordinol | Zuclopenthixol | High-potency typical antipsychotic | Psychoses, including schizophrenia | Cis-isomer of clopenthixol |
Deanxit | Flupentixol/melitracen | Typical antipsychotic / Tricyclic antidepressant | Moderate-to-severe depression associated with anxiety and/or agitation | |
Ebixa, Ebix | Memantine | NMDA receptor antagonist | Alzheimer's disease | |
Fluanxol | Flupentixol | High-potency thioxanthene typical antipsychotic | Psychoses, including schizophrenia | |
Modiodal | Modafinil | Eugeroic | Narcolepsy Shift work sleep disorder Obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea | |
Nortrilen, Sensoval | Nortriptyline | Tricyclic antidepressant | Depression Nocturnal enuresis | Active metabolite of amitriptyline |
Onfi | Clobazam | Benzodiazepine anticonvulsant and anxiolytic | Seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome | Outside the US, approved for anxiety and treatment-resistant epilepsy |
Rexulti | Brexpiprazole | Atypical antipsychotic | Schizophrenia Major depressive disorder | Marketed in partnership with Otsuka |
Sabril | Vigabatrin | Anticonvulsant | Treatment-resistant epilepsy | Use is restricted to resistant and refractory epilepsy due to the risk of irreversible vision loss |
Saphris, Sycrest | Asenapine | Atypical antipsychotic | Psychoses, including schizophrenia Acute and maintenance treatment of Bipolar I disorder | In some countries marketed by or co-marketed with Merck & Co. |
Saroten, Sarotex, Redomex | Amitriptyline | Tricyclic antidepressant | Depression Anxiety disorders Eating disorders Migraine prophylaxis Insomnia, etc. | |
Selincro | Nalmefene | Opioid receptor antagonist | Reduction of alcohol consumption in alcohol dependence | Only be used in patients with high drinking risk, in those who do not have physical withdrawal symptoms or require immediate detoxification |
Serdolect, Serlect | Sertindole | Atypical antipsychotic | Psychoses, including schizophrenia | |
Treanda | Bendamustine | Nitrogen mustard alkylating agent | Chronic lymphocytic leukemia | Co-marketed with Teva |
Truxal | Chlorprothixene | Thioxanthene typical antipsychotic | Psychosis, including schizophrenia | In some other countries approved for menopausal depression, insomnia and resistant nausea/vomiting |
Xenazine, Nitoman | Tetrabenazine | VMAT2 inhibitor | Chorea associated with Huntington's disease Tic disorders Tardive dyskinesia |
Products under development
- Brexpiprazole for Alzheimer's disease, bipolar disease and PTSD
- Foliglurax for Parkinson's disease
- Lu AF35700 for schizophrenia
Controversy
In December 2011 Lundbeck divested a portfolio of products including Nembutal to US pharmaceutical company Akorn Inc. As part of the agreement, Akorn committed to continue with Lundbeck's restricted distribution program for Nembutal, which was implemented to restrict the use of the product in the US.