Our History
A long-established and proven track record
The origins of the Acino – which was named “Schweizerhall” until 2008 – date back to 1836 when the company was founded around a saltworks operation near Basle. Subsequently, the company widened its activities to become both a manufacturer and trader and enlarged its portfolio with value added products including chemical specialties such as feeding stuffs, fertilizers and active pharmaceutical ingredients.
In 1994, the company went public on the Swiss stock exchange (SIX: ACIN) and gradually streamlined its business to focus on chemicals, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology. The subsequent years saw a focusing of the company’s activities on advanced drug delivery with the acquisition of Cimex Pharma AG, a Swiss supplier of complex solid oral dosage forms, in 2004, and of Novosis AG, Europe’s second largest manufacturer of transdermal patches and of biodegradable implants, in 2006.
2008
Change of the group and subsidiaries name to Acino
2011
Acquisition of combined Middle East and African Business of Cephalon Acquisition of Mepha’s production and R&D facilities and the business in MEA, LATAM and Asia. Commercialization of products under the brand “Acino Switzerland”
2013
Takeover by Avista Capital and Nordic Capital – Acino is delisted from the stock exchange
2014
Acquisition of Copharm in Russia
2015
Acquisition of PharmaStart in Ukraine
2016
Move of the Headquarters to Zurich and start of a substantial re-organization in Switzerland
In–licensing agreement for the combination painkiller Maxigesic of AFT
Acquisition of MENA operations and product rights of Norgine B.V.
Aquisition of Takeda’s manufacturing plant in Põlva, Estonia
Divestment of Acino’s transdermal and implant business to Luye Pharma Ltd.
2017
Acquisition of Litha Healthcare in South Africa
The story continues