Bachem SA

Bachem was founded in 1973, originally under the name of Sochinaz. Its main activity is bespoke chemistry, focusing in particular on the production of special amino acids. In 2001 Sochinaz was bought by the Bachem group, one of the world’s leaders in the manufacture of peptides, and ten years later changed its name to Bachem SA (Vionnaz branch).

Products and fields of activity
Bachem’s products are concentrated in two main areas:
•    The production of generic medicines for third parties
•    The bespoke development of new chemical entities (NCE)
Each of these activities has a distinct market with different customers. Bachem produces close to a dozen products for the generics market, such as propofol and carbidopa. Despite the competition, especially from Asia, Bachem Vionnaz products satisfy around 90% of the world’s demand for propofol, making the company one of the world’s leaders in the field of generics. Working mainly for large pharmaceutical companies, Bachem’s leading position in the niche market is explained by its substantial capacity for optimising the production processes to ensure maximum competitiveness. 

In addition to generics, Bachem Vionnaz also produced molecules known as cytotoxic until 2012. This activity was abandoned in favour of concentrating on NCEs, an area that now represents around one-third of the turnover of the Vionnaz site. The main customers for these products are biotech companies, who order these products at the clinical (or, more rarely, preclinical) stage.

Bachem’s equipment in Vionnaz (reactors ranging from 50 litres to 6.4 m³ capacity) enables the company to manufacture products in quantities from a few hundred grams to several tonnes for large-scale production.

About Bachem
A stock market quoted company, Bachem operates in the field of peptidic chemical technologies, offering a wide range of services to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Bachem specialises in the development of innovative and efficient manufacturing processes, and the secure production of peptide-based pharmaceuticals. They also have an extensive catalogue of biochemical substances for research purposes, as well as synthetic products exclusive to specific clients. With its headquarters in Switzerland and branches in Europe and the United States, the company operates on an international platform and benefits from sharply-honed skills and in-depth experience in this industrial sector. Bachem’s collaboration with its clients is centred on quality, innovation and a spirit of partnership.

Bachem. Pioneering partner for peptides.