About us

Our history

More than
just a company. A family

Medichem is more than just a company. We are a family whose passion for its work has led us to grow and expand over the years. Despite a challenging beginning, our drive for excellence has allowed us to reinvent ourselves and become the reliable company that we are today. Our integrity and commitment allow us to make our actions have a long term impact on our patients, communities and stakeholders.

Our history

1970

1972

Our roots

Medichem was founded in 1972 by Dr. Stampa thanks to his entrepreneurial spirit.

 

1979

Celrà: A New Start

Our first production plant was Santa María de Montcada in Barcelona. Only 7 years later, in 1979, this plant burnt down, and a new opportunity was coming. A new plant was about to be built, much bigger and more powerful than the previous, as our Celrà plant is nowadays. Since that moment, we have not stopped growing.

1980

1985 / 1986

Chlorhexidine Success, FDA Approval, and USA Market Entry

In 1985, we gradually gained confidence and experience thanks to our successes and achievements. We started to work in a GMP environment and manufacture Chlorhexidine. Today we are a world leader in this product with almost 40 years of experience in the market.





Our Celrà plant was inspected by the FDA for the first time and successfully we completed our first audit. That gave us a great sense of satisfaction! The following year, in 1986, we were able to launch Cyclobenzaprine, which was our first product on the US market.

1990

1991

QC and R&D expansion

During the early years of the 90s, we continued to amplify. In 1991 and 1992, our QC and R&D laboratories were designed and built.

 

1996

Combino Pharm foundation

Not just the number of our laboratories, our ambition also continued to increase. That is why in 1996, we decided to expand our business into finished dosage pharmaceutical products with great enthusiasm! So, we founded Combino Pharm.

2000

2004 / 2007

Expanding Horizons: Malta

We wanted to increase and look for new geographical and intellectual property opportunities. Thus in 2004, we built our two plants in Malta. A place where today, our manufacturing capabilities play a crucial and valuable role for the company and within the industry. 

These plants successfully passed their first FDA inspection together with Combino Pharm in 2007.

2010

2012 | 2014 | 2016

Malta High Potent Plant and Vertical Integration

We wanted to consolidate our business in other territories. After a lot of hard work and negotiations, in 2012, we opened Medichem’s new research center in Nanjing and signed a Joint Venture agreement to manufacture intermediates in China.





Our endless strive for success led us, in 2014, to further invest in manufacturing capabilities and start our operations in the new Highly Potent plant in Malta.

In 2016, Medichem and Combino Pharm joined forces to become a vertically integrated company with a single goal: to offer more value-adding products to our customers.

2020


2022

50 Years of Proven

Excellence

 We have continuously progressed as an enterprise and as a community despite difficult situations – who would have thought that in 2020 we would experience a pandemic! Despite everything, we have continued to manufacture and contribute to the well-being of patients worldwide.
 
We have received “no further comments” letters from the FDA for 19 of our DMFs, 4 of our DMFs have been approved by the NMPA, we have obtained 4 new Certificates of Suitability from the Ph. Eur and we now have 3 ANDAs approved in the USA.

All these facts sum up the most important moments of Medichem during half a century. Moments that have shaped our growth together with our partners, with whom we hope to continue writing milestones in our history for many more years to come.



2023

Medichem Solutions:

Injectable Facility Expansion

In 2023, Medichem expanded its operations through Medichem Solutions by acquiring a new injectable manufacturing installation at the Parque Tecnológico Asturias in Llanera. This strategic growth enhances our capabilities and strengthens our commitment to innovation and quality.



2025

B Corp

company

 Medichem proudly became a certified B Corp, reaffirming our commitment to social and environmental responsibility. This certification reflects our dedication to transparency, sustainability, and ethical business practices. As part of the B Corp community, we strive to create positive impact for our customers, partners, and the planet while driving innovation and growth.