The history of Gedeon Richter

Between 1945 and 1991

The plant suffered heavy damages during World War II and the ravages of the war decimated the Company's staff. The principal challenge was to supply the Hungarian population with modern pharmaceutical products. With a view to the manufacture of pharmaceutical products that were considered to be of key importance from the point of view of public health and welfare, the Company significantly increased its research and development facilities and staff. Massive research efforts relating to original drugs were launched in the early 1950s. Separate research laboratories were established to perform research in various fields of organic chemistry, such as plant chemistry, microbiology, biochemistry as well as pharmaceutical technology. The polypeptide research project was launched in the mid-1950s and the Company started the development of manufacturing processes for steroid derivatives. Richter introduced the first oral contraceptive in 1966.

	In 1948 the plant was nationalized under the new name "Kőbánya Pharmaceutical Factory" (Kőbányai Gyógyszerárugyár). After the end of the war the Company lost its Western European export markets and its subsidiaries. When COMECON (Council for Mutual Economic Assistance among socialist countries) was formed, the Company focused its export activities on Eastern European countries.

The factory benefited from the fact that the Company still used the Gedeon Richter Ltd. name in foreign markets. The Company increased the range of its products and gained a number of new markets. Richter successfully entered the Polish and Czechoslovak markets then launched its exports to the Soviet Union in 1954.  

The Company ranked among the largest suppliers of B12 vitamins as well as synthetic steroid derivatives on a worldwide basis. B12 vitamins were manufactured via a non-sterile fermentation process, which was developed by the company's research staff and which was exclusively utilized by the Company.

In the 1960 the Company became the largest supplier of pharmaceutical products to COMECON member countries and the Soviet Union. However, in the 1970s the Company significantly increased its exports to western countries. In addition to pharmaceutical production the Company launched new business lines, such as the production of agricultural chemicals and veterinary medicines. The Company made very good use of its skills and expertise in pharmaceutical production and developed a range of cosmetics that were marketed under the "Fabulon" brand name as well as the new "Richtofit" product range which used herbal extracts. In 1977 the Richter researchers discovered an original product Cavinton, a cerebral oxygenation enhancer (active substance: vinpocetine). Actually, Cavinton is still one of the principal products of the Company. In the 1980s exports to western countries further increased. In addition to a wide range of commercial ties abroad, the Company also concluded a series of research and development co-operation agreements with Japanese and US corporations.

Until 1914

Between 1914 and 1945