"The price of greatness is responsibility." Sir Winston Churchill

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Genentech, Inc. NYSE: DNA is a leading biotechnology corporation which was founded in 1976 by Robert A. Swanson, a venture capitalist, and biochemist Dr. Herbert W. Boyer. Boyer was one of two scientists who pioneered the scientific field of recombinant DNA technology. Currently, Genentech employs more than 8,000 people and Art Levinson is the Chairman and CEO.

Contents [hide] 1 Product Timeline 2 Diversity 3 Facility locations 4 References 5 External links

 

Product Timeline

• 1985 - Protropin® (somatrem) - Supplementary growth hormone for children with growth hormone deficiency.
• 1987 - Activase® (recombinant tissue plasminogen activator)- To dissolve blod clots in patients with acute myocardial infarction.
• 1990 - Actimmune® (interferon gamma 1b) - Treatment of chronic granulomatous disease.
• 1993 - Nutropin® (recombinant somatropin) - Growth hormone for children and adults for treatment before kidney transplant due to chronic renal insufficiency.
• 1994 - Pulmozyme® (dornase alfa) - Inhalation treatment for children and young adults with cystic fibrosis.
• 1997 - Rituxan® (rituximab)- Treatment for specific kinds of non-Hodgkins lymphomas.
• 1998 - Herceptin® (trastuzumab) - Treatment for metastatic breast cancer patients with tumors that overexpress the HER2 protein.
• 2000 - TNKase® (tenecteplase) - "Clot-busting" drug to treat acute myocardial infarction.
• 2003 - Xolair® (omalizumab) - Subcutaneous injection for moderate to severe persistent asthma.
• 2003 - Raptiva® (efalizumab) - Antibody designed to block the activation and reactivation of T cells that lead to the development of psoriasis.
• 2004 - Avastin® (bevacizumab) - Anti-VEGF antibody for the treatment of metastatic cancer of the colon or rectum.
• 2004 - Tarceva® (erlotinib) - Treatment for patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer.

 

Diversity

Genentech was named one of the 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers in 2004 by Working Mothers magazine.

 

Facility locations

Genentech's main facility is in South San Francisco, CA, with additional manufacturing facilities in Vacaville, California and Porrino, Spain. In June, 2005, Genentech purchased Biogen Idec's manufacturing facility in Oceanside, California.

 

References

"Corporate Chronology". Genentech Inc.. URL accessed on May 30, 2005.

Official website