Dr. Franz Koehler Chemie

What Dr. Franz Koehler Chemie does

Dr. Franz Köhler Chemie GmbH is a third-generation, family-owned specialty pharmaceutical manufacturer headquartered in Bensheim, Germany, with a second operational site in Alsbach and more than 250 employees. Founded in 1959 by Dr. Franz Josef Köhler, the company develops, manufactures, and distributes highly specialized niche pharmaceutical products under GMP conditions, organized into five portfolio categories: organ-protective solutions (CUSTODIOL® and CUSTODIOL®-CE, based on the HTK solution co-developed with Professor Dr. H.-J. Bretschneider since 1973 — the world's first approved cardioplegic solution from 1965), intensive care sedatives (SEDALAM®, the first and only intravenous lormetazepam worldwide, and SOMSANIT®), antidotes for poisoning emergencies (4-DMAP, described as the world's only effective cyanide antidote; ANTICHOLIUM®, ATROPINSULFAT®, Kohle-Pulvis, NATRIUMTHIOSULFAT, PROVEBLUE, THAM-KÖHLER), contrast agents and dyes (PERITRAST®, PROVEDYE®, PROVENDO®, Indigocarmin Provingo®, CETEGNOST®), and in-vitro diagnostics (M.A.I.K® mobile nerve agent detection kit).

The company serves tertiary care hospitals performing cardiac surgery and organ transplantation, emergency medicine and ICU departments, radiology/imaging facilities, and defense and security organizations, with products distributed through an international distributor network to more than 100 countries. Revenue is generated through one-time sales of prescription and over-the-counter pharmaceutical products via specialized medical distribution channels; pricing is not publicly disclosed. The company invests in medical-professional education through its Köhler Campus CME-certified online seminars and CUSTODIOL College platforms, and operates an in-house R&D function in close collaboration with university clinics and research institutes. Management consists of managing shareholders Dr. Gernot Köhler (son of the founder) and Frauke Weiß (granddaughter), alongside employed managing director Dr. Thomas Breidenbach, a transplantation medicine specialist who joined in January 2020.

Name

Dr. Franz Koehler Chemie

Legal name

Dr. Franz Köhler Chemie GmbH

Website

https://koehler-chemie.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Dr. Franz Köhler Chemie GmbH is a third-generation, family-owned German specialty pharmaceutical manufacturer (250+ employees, two GMP sites) that develops and distributes niche products — including organ-protective solutions, antidotes, intensive care sedatives, contrast agents, and diagnostics — to hospitals, emergency medicine, radiology, and defense customers in over 100 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Pharmaceuticals

NAICS

Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412)

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

Primary Care & General Medicine Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Generic Hospital & Institutional Products (HLAIABAL)

Keywords

• Organ preservation solutions
• Cardioplegic solutions
• Pharmaceutical antidotes
• Contrast agents
• Intensive care medicines

Headquarters

HQ city

Bensheim

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Pharmaceutical Products Sales: Sale of prescription and over-the-counter pharmaceutical products including organ-protecting solutions, contrast agents, antidotes, and intensive care medications through international distribution networks.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Dr. Franz Köhler Chemie GmbH develops, manufactures, and distributes specialized niche pharmaceuticals for hospitals and medical professionals. Its core offerings are organ-protective (cardioplegic and preservation) solutions used in cardiac surgery and transplantation, antidotes for poisoning emergencies including the world's only effective cyanide antidote, intensive-care sedatives/hypnotics, X-ray and endoscopic contrast agents, and in-vitro diagnostic kits for nerve-agent detection. Products are GMP-manufactured at two German sites and sold in more than 100 countries via international distributors.

Product overview

Dr. Franz Koehler Chemie GmbH is a research-focused, family-owned pharmaceutical company (third generation) that manufactures and distributes specialized niche pharmaceutical products. The company operates under GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) conditions at its facilities in Bensheim and Alsbach, Germany, with over 250 employees. The product portfolio is organized into five main categories: (1) Organ-Protective Solutions (CUSTODIOL®, CUSTODIOL®-CE, BLOOD CARDIOPLEGY according to Buckberg) - cardioplegic and organ preservation solutions developed with Professor H.-J. Bretschneider, used in cardiac surgery and organ transplantation; (2) Intensivmedizin/Intensive Care (SEDALAM®, SOMSANIT®) - intravenous sedatives and hypnotics for anesthesia and intensive care; (3) Antidotes & Emergency Medicine (ANTICHOLIUM®, 4-DMAP, ATROPINSULFAT®, Kohle-Pulvis, NATRIUMTHIOSULFAT, PROVEBLUE, THAM-KÖHLER 3 M) - antidotes for various poisonings including the world's only effective cyanide antidote; (4) Dyes and Contrast Agents (PERITRAST®, PROVEDYE®, PROVENDO®, Indigocarmin Provingo®, CETEGNOST®) - x-ray and diagnostic contrast agents; (5) Diagnostics (M.A.I.K®) - mobile nerve agent detection kit. Products are distributed through international distributors to over 100 countries worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CUSTODIOL: Cardioplegic solution and organ preservation solution for heart surgery and organ transplantation
• CUSTODIOL-CE
• SEDALAM
• ANTICHOLIUM
• 4-DMAP
• PERITRAST
• CETEGNOST
• M.A.I.K
• Köhler Campus
• CUSTODIOL College

Products and services

• ANTICHOLIUM® Anticholinesterase inhibitor used as an antidote in cases of life-threatening poisoning with anticholinergic substances; contains physostigmine salicylate as active substance and is also used to prevent postoperative delirium. Targeted at hospitals, intensive care units and emergency departments.
• SEDALAM® Intravenous lormetazepam formulation for hypnosis and sedation in intensive care medicine; the first and only intravenous formulation of lormetazepam worldwide, made possible through proprietary galenics. Intended for hospitals, ICUs and anesthesiologists.
• SOMSANIT® Intravenous hypnotic agent containing 4-hydroxybutanoic acid sodium salt, used in anesthesia and intensive care medicine. Targeted at hospitals, anesthesiologists and ICU staff.
• CUSTODIOL® HTK Solution according to Bretschneider — cardioplegic solution for organ protection during heart surgery and organ transplantation; the world's first approved cardioplegic solution. Routinely used in more than 100 countries for heart surgery and transplantation, and supported by ongoing collaboration with renowned cardiac surgeons and university clinics.
• CUSTODIOL®-CE Cardioplegic and organ preservation solution under Medical Device Regulation (MDR) for CE marking, used in cardiac surgery and organ transplantation in CE-regulated markets.
• Blood Cardioplegia according to Buckberg Blood cardioplegia solution according to Buckberg for myocardial protection during cardiac surgery, used by cardiac surgeons and perfusionists in hospitals.
• 4-DMAP 4-dimethylaminophenol hydrochloride — the world's only effective antidote against cyanide poisoning. Targeted at emergency medical services, hospitals and military/chemical-defense units treating cyanide exposures.
• ATROPINSULFAT® Atropine sulfate injection solution used as an antidote for anticholinesterase poisoning. Targeted at emergency departments, hospitals and military medical units.
• Kohle-Pulvis Medical coal powder used as a universal antidote for adsorption of ingested poisons in the gastrointestinal tract. Targeted at emergency departments and toxicology centers.
• NATRIUMTHIOSULFAT Sodium thiosulfate solution for injection/infusion used as an antidote, particularly for cyanide and nitroprusside poisoning. Targeted at hospitals and emergency departments.
• PROVEBLUE Methylthioninium chloride solution for injection, used as an antidote for methemoglobinemia and in certain poisoning cases. Targeted at hospitals, ICUs and emergency departments.
• THAM-KÖHLER 3 M Trometamol-based infusion solution concentrate used as a buffer for correction of metabolic acidosis. Targeted at hospitals, ICUs and emergency departments.
• PERITRAST® X-ray contrast agent containing amidotrizoic acid (using lysine as the cation) for intravascular and oral/rectal radiological diagnostics, including CT and urological applications. Targeted at radiology and urology departments in hospitals.
• PROVEDYE® Methylene blue solution used as a contrast agent and for therapeutic applications including treatment of methemoglobinemia. Targeted at radiology departments, ICUs and emergency departments.
• PROVENDO® Indigo carmine 0.8% solution for injection, used as a contrast agent for urological and endoscopic diagnostics. Targeted at urology and endoscopy departments in hospitals.
• Indigocarmin Provingo® Indigo carmine injection solution for diagnostic visualization in urological and endoscopic procedures. Targeted at urology and endoscopy departments in hospitals.
• CETEGNOST® Non-ionic x-ray contrast agent for computed tomography and radiological diagnostics, distributed by Dr. Franz Köhler Chemie GmbH for the German market since 2012. Targeted at radiology departments in hospitals.
• M.A.I.K® Mobile, highly sensitive test kit for surface detection of nerve agents and other acetylcholinesterase inhibitors; provides results within 3 minutes using a color reaction based on human acetylcholinesterase inhibition. Targeted at military, law enforcement and civil-defense organizations for early chemical-warfare-agent countermeasures.
• UNIZINK® Zinc aspartate preparation for electrolyte supplementation developed by Dr. Franz Köhler Chemie GmbH as part of its foundational research activities. Targeted at hospitals and prescribers for zinc supplementation therapy.

Quantifiable outcome

• CUSTODIOL® is routinely used in more than 100 countries for heart surgeries and organ transplantations
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Professor Dr. H.-J. BretschneidercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Professor Dr. H.-J. Bretschneider (1922–1993) beginning in 1973 to research and develop organ-protective solutions with exceptional properties. This partnership led to the development of the HTK Solution according to Bretschneider, which achieved global recognition in cardiac and transplant medicine.
• University Clinics and Research InstitutescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing close contact with renowned medical experts, university clinics, and research institutions for developing new ideas, testing active agents, and formulating therapeutic approaches.
• International DistributorscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of international distributors promoting and shipping products to more than 100 countries worldwide.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• XVIVO Perfusion: Listed Swedish medtech focused on organ preservation and machine perfusion for lung, heart, liver, and kidney transplantation. Direct peer in the organ-transplantation preservation market where CUSTODIOL is also a standard.
• BioLife Solutions: Supplies biopreservation media and tools for cell- and tissue-based therapies, including organ/tissue preservation. Comparable through shared end-customers (transplant centers) and adjacent product class (organ preservation solutions).
• Essential Pharmaceuticals: Specialty pharma company developing and commercializing cardioplegia and organ-preservation solutions (e.g., CryoLife/Custodiol-adjacent technology). Directly comparable as a niche innovator focused on cardiac surgery pharmaceuticals with hospital-channel distribution.
• Emergent BioSolutions: US-listed biodefense and specialty pharma company addressing chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats, including antidotes. Comparable to Köhler's M.A.I.K nerve-agent detection and cyanide-antidote franchise in the CBRN countermeasures space.

Broad incumbents

• GE HealthCare: Diversified imaging-agents and equipment supplier with an x-ray contrast portfolio. Overlaps in the imaging contrast-agent segment alongside PERITRAST and CETEGNOST, though operates at much greater scale with broader modality coverage.
• Bracco Imaging: Global contrast-imaging leader with a broad x-ray, CT, and MRI contrast portfolio. Overlaps with Köhler's PERITRAST and CETEGNOST contrast-agent lines, though Bracco's scale and modality breadth (incl. MRI) is far greater.
• Guerbet: French specialty contrast-media manufacturer with x-ray and MRI contrast products sold to radiology departments worldwide. Directly comparable in the imaging contrast-agent space that Köhler competes in with PERITRAST and CETEGNOST.
• Fresenius Kabi: Major hospital-pharma supplier of IV drugs, sedatives, and clinical nutrition products across 100+ countries. Directly comparable in the intravenous sedation and intensive-care pharmaceutical categories where SEDALAM and SOMSANIT compete.
• Baxter International: Large diversified hospital-products company with a portfolio of IV solutions, sedation agents, and surgical pharmaceuticals. Overlaps with Köhler's intensive-care sedatives (SOMSANIT, SEDALAM) and surgical-pharma niches at much larger scale.

Emerging players

• BTG International (Boston Scientific): Acquired by Boston Scientific, BTG developed specialty antidotes and emergency-care pharmaceuticals including CroFab. Adjacent in the niche hospital antidotes/emergency medicine space where 4-DMAP and ANTICHOLIUM compete.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Dr. Franz Koehler Chemie