Altana (Germany)

WITH ITS ROOTS dating back to 1873, when “Dr. Heinrich Byk AG” was established by Dr. Byk himself, ALTANA Pharma AG (part of ALTANA AG) has its focus on three areas: imaging, over-the-counter medications, and therapeutics. Of these three foci, the principle one is prescription therapeutics. Specifically, ALTANA Pharma AG (ALTANA) develops therapeutics for gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases. The link ALTANA has to cancer is that as part of its prescription therapeutic endeavors, it dedicates significant resources to the basic scientific research of oncology.

In pioneering novel prescription therapeutics, the company strives to improve the quality of life for patients. In addition, the company recognizes that employee satisfaction is pivotal in producing good science; therefore, many efforts are made to improve employee satisfaction and to foster career development. Over the past few years, the company has grown in both the number of employees and its net profit. Its chief profit-earning product is Pantoprazole, which treats the esophagus and gastrointestinal tract when damaged by acid-related diseases. It is a proton-pump inhibitor. Pantoprazole is marketed in the United States by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. To further support its research, ALTANA actively seeks private investors.

Along with being one of the leading European pharmaceutical companies, ALTANA routinely participates as a socially aware institution. The company has outlined four objectives in its efforts to recognize its social responsibilities: focusing on the patient; making products in an environmentally compatible method; creating jobs; and maintaining contact with the community for cultural activities, education, and research. One example of ALTANA's community [Page 24]awareness is its annual University of Konstanz ALTANA Pharma award, a prize honoring a particularly excellent work of science at the university.

Research at ALTANA is divided into three indication groups: Gastroenterology, respiration/inflammation, and oncology. ALTANA's involvement in respiratory diseases dates back to 1907, when Dr. Heinrich Byk AK produced and patented Euphyllin for the treatment of chronic obstructive bronchitis and other bronchial obstructive disorders. The oncology indication group works to elucidate biological mechanisms of cancer in order to develop specific, potent antitumor medications with minimal side effects.

ALTANA participates in all three phases of drug development: discovery research, preclinical development, and clinical development. Discovery research is the laboratory science that translates research discoveries into potential clinical therapeutics. The preclinical development phase tests these potential therapeutics in biological models. Necessary information such as dosages and side effects are determined in order that the drug testing can proceed to the clinical development phase. In this final phase, clinical trials are conducted with human volunteers.