Grifols

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Grifols, S.A.
Company typePublic
ISINES0171996012
IndustryPharmaceuticals, chemicals
Founded1940; 84 years ago (1940)
HeadquartersBarcelona, Spain
Key people
ProductsPlasma derivatives, in vitro diagnostic products, non-biological products for laboratories and hospitals
RevenueIncrease €6.064 billion (2022)
Increase €805.7 million (2022)
Increase €271.1 million (2022)
Total assetsIncrease €21.53 billion (2022)
Total equityIncrease €8.457 billion (2022)
Number of employees
26,314 (2022)
Websitegrifols.com
Footnotes / references
[1] [2]

Grifols, S.A. (Catalan: [ˈɡɾifuls]) is a Spanish multinational pharmaceutical and chemical manufacturer. Principally a producer of blood plasma–based products, a field in which it is the European leader and largest worldwide,[3][4] the company also supplies devices, instruments, and reagents for clinical testing laboratories.

History

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Human immunoglobulin for anti-tetanus use and antithrombin produced by Grifols.

Grifols' origin lies in the laboratory founded in 1940 in Barcelona by Dr Josep A. Grífols Roig, a hematologist and scientist (although its origin dates back to the Instituto Central de Análisis Clínicos, a company founded in 1909 by Josep Antonio Grífols Roig, which will be a pioneer in Spain in clinical analysis and in the introduction of blood conservation and transfusion techniques).[5] His son, Dr Josep A. Grifols Lucas was the first researcher to publish the plasmapheresis procedure in 1952.[6] The company introduced its liquid IVIG product into the European market in the mid-1990s.

Probitas Pharma, S.A. was incorporated with high limited liability under Spanish law on 22 June 1987; on 27 June 2005 the company changed its name to Grifols, S.A.[7][self-published source] In 2003 the company acquired certain assets of the Los Angeles–based Alpha Therapeutic (US subsidiary of Mitsubishi Pharma) as the basis of its American expansion.[8] On May 17, 2006, Grifols securities were listed on Spain's Mercado Continuo.[9]

In 2009, CSL Limited attempted to takeover Talecris Biotherapeutics (the former plasma business of Bayer HealthCare LLC, Biological Products Division)[10] for $3,1 billion but was stopped by the Federal Trade Commission.[11] On 1 June 2011, a year after announcing the $4 billion deal, Grifols completed a takeover of Talecris Biotherapeutics, headquartered in Research Triangle Park in North Carolina, with over 2000 employees.[12]

Grifols acquired the blood transfusion diagnostics unit from Novartis in 2013 as a "platform for global expansion".[4] This unit is based in Emeryville, California and was a part of Chiron acquired by Novartis in 2006.[4]

In 2015, the company acquired a 45% stake in Alkahest as part of planned co-development of "plasma-based products for the treatment of cognitive decline in aging and disorders of the CNS, including Alzheimer's."[13] In 2020 Grifols acquired the remaining stock of Alkahest “bringing its ownership of Alkahest to 100%”.[14]

In December 2016, Grifols acquired Hologics interest in their existing joint blood screening unit for $1.85 billion[15]

In February 2022, Biotest AG and four other companies were fined by the Romanian Competition Council for having limited or interrupted the supply of essential immunoglobins with the goal of pressuring the government into removing a tax on their blood products from 2015 to 2018.[16] Biotest was acquired by Grifols in April 2022.[17]

Between January and March 2024, short seller fund Gotham City Research published several reports questioning Grifols financial accounting.[18][19] In January 2024, following the first of such reports, Grifols market value fell by 40%, wiping $3.83 billion off its market value, leading to the drugmaker "categorically" denying any wrongdoing.[18] In February 2024, Grifols rejected what it considered were Gotham's "malicious, false and misleading insinuations" that had the "sole objective of destabilising Grifols and causing doubts amongst institutional investors". By 6 March 2024, the share price had fallen to a 12-year low.[19] In April 2024, Grifols announced it was bringing in independent directors to remedy the situation.[20] In July 2024, the Grifols family and Canadian fund Brookfield agreed to evaluate a possible joint takeover bid for the company with the intent to delist it from the Nasdaq and the Bolsa de Madrid stock exchanges.[21]

Main products

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Grifols is the major world supplier of IVIG, albumin, Factor VIII and other plasma-derived products.[citation needed]

Operations

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In 2007 the company had 3.6 million litres per year of blood fractionation capacity from three plants, one at Parets del Vallès near Barcelona in Spain (2.1 million litres per year), another in Los Angeles (1.5 million litres but being expanded to 2.2 million litres), and a site in Clayton, North Carolina. In the United States the company owns 230 plasmapheresis centres, where it collects around 5.8 million litres of plasma per year.[citation needed]

Ownership

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Grifols was listed on the Madrid Stock Exchange in May 2006.[22] The stock became part of the IBEX 35 index in January 2008.

References

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  1. ^ "2022 Annual Report (Form 20-F)". US Securities and Exchange Commission. Retrieved 2023-04-18.
  2. ^ "Grifols appoints new CEO Nacho Abia to the board". Nasdaq. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  3. ^ Smyth, Sharon; Gore, Gareth (23 June 2008). "Santander, Sabadell, Sol Melia, Urbas: Iberia Preview". Bloomberg. Archived from the original on 23 October 2012. Retrieved 2009-01-18.
  4. ^ a b c "Novartis Sells Blood Transfusion Dx Unit to Grifols". Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (Paper). Vol. 33, no. 21. December 2013. p. 10.
  5. ^ Grupo Enciclopedia Catalana. "Grifols". Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  6. ^ Grífols-Lucas, JA (1952). "Use of plasmapheresis in blood donors". British Medical Journal. 1 (4763): 854. doi:10.1136/bmj.1.4763.854. PMC 2023259. PMID 14916171.
  7. ^ "Grifols S.A. (formerly Probitas Pharma S.A.) And Subsidiaries: Consolidated Annual Accounts prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as adopted for use in the European Union and Consolidated Directors' Report". 31 December 2005. Retrieved 2016-02-03.
  8. ^ "Mitsubishi Pharma to Withdraw from US Plasma Fractionation Business as US Subsidiary Transfers Operations" (Press release). Mitsubishi Pharma Corporation. 10 April 2003. Retrieved 2016-02-03.
  9. ^ "News in brief: Third time lucky for Grifols". Financial News. London. 1 May 2006. Retrieved 2016-02-03.
  10. ^ "Announcing the Launch of Talecris Biotherapeutics" (Press release). Talecris. 1 April 2005. Retrieved 2016-02-03 – via BusinessWire.
  11. ^ "FTC Authorizes Suit To Stop CSLs Proposed $3.1 Billion Acquisition of Talecris Biotherapeutics". 2009-05-27. Retrieved 2016-02-03.
  12. ^ Wolf, Alan M. (2011-06-02). "Spanish buyer set to take over Talecris". News & Observer. Archived from the original on 2011-06-05. Retrieved 2011-06-02.
  13. ^ "Grifols Makes $37.5M Investment in Alkahest". News: Industry Watch. Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (Paper). 35 (7): 10. 1 April 2015.
  14. ^ "Grifols to acquire Alkahest to enhance discovery research and development to identify innovative therapies for age-related diseases based upon an understanding of the human plasma proteome". 7 September 2020. Retrieved 2021-09-11.
  15. ^ Grifols Buys Hologic’s Share in Blood Screening Unit for $1.85B. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  16. ^ "Romanian competition body fines five European pharma companies on collusion".
  17. ^ "Grifols completes the acquisition of Biotest: a strategic and transformational transaction to accelerate growth and innovation".
  18. ^ a b Mackenzie, Nell (9 January 2024). "What does the Gotham City report say about Grifols?". Reuters.
  19. ^ a b Pinedo, Emma; Aguado, Jesús; Mackenzie, Nell (2024-03-06). "Grifols shares drop to 12-year low after new Gotham City Research report". Reuters. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  20. ^ "Spanish drug maker Grifols will bring in independent directors, chairman tells newspaper". Reuters. April 2024.
  21. ^ "Grifols says founding family, Brookfield looking to delist drugmaker". Reuters. 8 July 2024.
  22. ^ Dowsett, Sonya (19 January 2007). "Blood firm Grifols sees 2006 sales up 22 pct". Reuters. Retrieved 2009-01-18.
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