Xellia Pharmaceuticals

The story of Xellia Pharmaceuticals begins with a rich history stretching back over a century, rooted in the development of anti-infective treatments. Though its origins trace to 1903, the modern iteration of the company took shape in 2008 when CEO Carl-Åke Carlsson and his management team, backed by the investor 3i, led a spin-out from Alpharma Inc. The new entity focused on transforming from primarily an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturer into a specialty pharmaceutical company concentrating on finished dosage forms (FDFs) for anti-infective therapies. The company specialized in developing and manufacturing drugs to combat multi-drug resistant infections, becoming a leading global supplier of critical medicines like Vancomycin and Colistimethate Sodium. This focus on fermentation-based biological manufacturing processes set them apart. Xellia established a global presence with manufacturing facilities in Denmark, Norway, Hungary, and China. A pivotal moment arrived in May 2013 when Novo A/S, the holding company for the Novo Group, announced its acquisition of Xellia for approximately $700 million. This significant event returned the company to Danish ownership, with its headquarters moving to Copenhagen. The acquisition was designed to accelerate Xellia's investments in research and development, expand its global manufacturing, and further scale its finished-dosage-form business, leveraging Novo's deep expertise in the life sciences sector.