The story behind Alfasigma
Our company’s story began in Italy in 1948, inspired by a great man: Marino Golinelli
Turning vision into value
Decades of discovery: tracing our impact on global healthcare
Biochimici AL.F.A. is founded in Bologna (Italy), becoming in the sixties Alfa Farmaceutici.
Sigma-Tau Ifr S.p.A. is established in Pomezia (Italy), fast becoming a leader in Italy’s pharma industry.
Alfa Farmaceutici acquires Schiapparelli 1824, a pharmaceutical company founded in 1824 and among the earliest chemical-pharmaceutical companies in Italy, marking its entry into the consumer healthcare market with the well-known Neo Borocillina brand.
The biologically active form of acetyl-L-carnitine is synthesized in the Sigma-Tau laboratories.
Rifaximin is developed. The molecule is synthesized in Alfa Farmaceutici laboratories as a derivative of rifamycin, with the aim of creating an antibiotic with local action in the gastrointestinal tract and minimal systemic absorption.
The Wassermann Institute is acquired and merged with Alfa Farmaceutici, giving rise to Alfa Wassermann.
Construction of the Alanno plant (Pescara) begins. The site will be inaugurated in 1987 and will soon become the company’s manufacturing centre of excellence.
Rifaximin is approved and launched in Italy, quickly becoming a reference treatment for intestinal infections and, later, for other gastrointestinal conditions.
The international division of Alfa Wassermann is born and a network of distributors and licensees is created in over 60 countries worldwide. Over the following decade, the Group expanded its international presence through the acquisition and establishment of several subsidiaries across Europe and other regions of the world.
Rifaximin is approved by the U.S. FDA for the treatment of travellers’ diarrhoea; it later received additional indications for hepatic encephalopathy (in 2010) and Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Diarrhoea (in 2014). Marketed under the Xifaxan® brand, the product was launched in the U.S. market and quickly achieved significant commercial success.
Alfasigma is created by the aggregation of Alfa Wassermann and Sigma-Tau.
Alfasigma acquires PamLab (from Nestlé Health Science), a US-based company active in manufacturing and distribution of medical foods.
Inauguration of the R&D centre LABIO 4.0 Marino Golinelli in Pomezia (Italy), which houses the laboratories dedicated to pharmaceutical technology and analytical chemistry and a GMP pilot plant.
Alfasigma acquires Intercept Pharmaceuticals Inc. (USA), a biopharmaceutical company.
Alfasigma enters the Advanced Therapies area acquiring filgotinib business from Galapagos.
Alfasigma and Innovative Molecules GmbH start a strategic partnership for the treatment of Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) encephalitis.
GSK plc and Alfasigma S.p.A. establish a partnership through which Alfasigma acquires worldwide exclusive rights to develop, manufacture and commercialise linerixibat.