Lipomed
Lipomed AG is a privately held Swiss pharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures, and markets niche ethical pharmaceuticals and GMP-certified APIs targeting rare hematology, oncology, chronic pain, and orphan-disease indications worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1993
- HeadquartersArlesheim, Switzerland
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Lipomed does
Lipomed AG is a privately held Swiss life-science company founded in 1993 and headquartered in Arlesheim near Basel. The company researches, develops, manufactures, and markets Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) and ethical (prescription) pharmaceuticals, with a deliberate focus on niche and rare-disease indications in hematology (beta-thalassemia, sickle cell disease, hairy cell leukemia), oncology (Hodgkin's lymphoma, multiple myeloma, acute lymphoblastic leukemia), chronic pain management, opioid dependence treatment, and gout. Its finished-product portfolio comprises 11 registered branded pharmaceuticals — Dacin, Deferiprone Lipomed, Jayempi, Kapanol, Litak, Myrin, Qaialdo, Santuril, Thalidomide Lipomed, Xaluprine, and Xromi — alongside a GMP-certified Natural CBD Pure API manufactured under ICH Q7 and Ph. Eur. 3151. The company holds GMP, GDP, and ISO 9001 certifications, and its Thalidomide Lipomed Pregnancy Prevention Programme is a required risk-management infrastructure for dispensing teratogenic products.
Lipomed generates revenue from two complementary streams: (i) sale of finished branded pharmaceuticals to healthcare providers via its German subsidiary Lipomed GmbH (EU market) and a global network of approximately 40 specialized distributors and logistics partners covering 30+ countries across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America; and (ii) B2B manufacturing and sale of APIs (including potent substances and custom synthesis at kilogram scale) to pharmaceutical-company customers, bundled with regulatory dossier support services covering CEP, DMF, ASMF, IMPD/IND, and IMA/MAA throughout the dossier lifecycle. Commercialization is sales-led, leveraging medical detailing, certified marketing (including the French Charte de l'information promotionnelle), medical-education materials, and conference presence rather than direct-to-consumer advertising.
The company operates with 51–100 employees and revenue that is not publicly disclosed. There is no record of external institutional investors, funding rounds, acquisitions, or leadership changes in the available source material. The current leadership team comprises Dr. Athanasios Zikopoulos (CEO), Chantal Manz (CSO), and Didier Foechterlen (COO). The German subsidiary (Lipomed GmbH, Weil am Rhein) serves as the EU commercialization vehicle, while international markets are reached exclusively through local distribution partners under territory-specific agreements.
Lipomed firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Lipomed
- Legal name
- Lipomed AG
- Website
- https://lipomed.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1993
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Lipomed AG is a privately held Swiss pharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures, and markets niche ethical pharmaceuticals and GMP-certified APIs targeting rare hematology, oncology, chronic pain, and orphan-disease indications worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Lipomed industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Niche / Orphan Disease Pharmaceuticals (Hematology and Oncology)
- SIC
- Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834), Medicinal Chemicals & Botanical Products (2833)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Small-Molecule CMC Documentation & Regulatory Support (DMF/CMC) (HLAGAHAM)
Keywords
Where Lipomed is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Arlesheim
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Lipomed business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Finished Pharmaceutical Products Sales: Sale of ethical (prescription) pharmaceutical products for the treatment of hematological disorders, oncological conditions, and niche indications. Products are sold to healthcare providers, hospitals, and pharmacies through distribution partners across Europe and international markets.
- Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API): Manufacturing and sale of APIs including potent substances and niche products. Customer synthesis and contract manufacturing services for API. Regulatory support offered for worldwide approvals of finished products containing Lipomed's API.
- API Regulatory Dossier Services: Support services for regulatory approvals including CEP, DMF, ASMF, IMPD/IND, IMA/MAA compilation and lifecycle management for pharmaceutical dossiers.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Lipomed product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Lipomed is a Swiss pharmaceutical manufacturer that develops, produces, and commercializes niche ethical (prescription) drugs and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), with a portfolio focused on rare hematological disorders (beta-thalassemia, sickle cell disease, hairy cell leukemia), oncology (Hodgkin's lymphoma, multiple myeloma, ALL), chronic pain, opioid dependence, and gout. The company also sells GMP-certified Natural CBD API and provides regulatory dossier support services to API customers for worldwide product approvals.
Product overview
Lipomed is a Swiss life science company specializing in the research, development, manufacturing, and marketing of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) and ethical pharmaceuticals. The company's portfolio consists of a diverse range of niche pharmaceutical products for rare diseases, focusing primarily on haematology, oncology, and niche indications. The product portfolio includes 11 branded pharmaceutical products: Dacin (dacarbazine), Deferiprone Lipomed, Jayempi (azathioprine), Kapanol (morphine), Litak (cladribine), Myrin (thalidomide), Qaialdo (spironolactone), Santuril (probenecid), Thalidomide Lipomed, Xaluprine (mercaptopurine), and Xromi (hydroxycarbamide). Additionally, Lipomed manufactures and sells Natural CBD Pure API as an active pharmaceutical ingredient. These products treat conditions including haematological disorders (beta-thalassemia, sickle cell disease), haematological malignancies (hairy cell leukaemia, indolent lymphoma, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, Hodgkin's disease, multiple myeloma), chronic pain, opioid dependence, and gout.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Dacin: Dacarbazine 200 mg, 500 mg or 1000 mg lyophilized powder - an alkylating agent for cancer treatment (ATC code: L01AX04)
- Deferiprone Lipomed
- Jayempi
- Kapanol
- Litak
- Myrin
- Qaialdo
- Santuril
- Thalidomide Lipomed
- Xaluprine
- Xromi
- Natural CBD Pure API
Products and services
- Dacin (Dacarbazine) Dacarbazine 200 mg, 500 mg, or 1000 mg lyophilized powder; alkylating agent (ATC code L01AX04) used to inhibit the growth of cancer cells, supplied to hospitals and oncology centers for hematological-oncology indications.
- Deferiprone Lipomed Deferiprone 500 mg scored film-coated tablets; iron chelating agent (ATC code V03AC02) used to remove excess iron from the body in patients with transfusion-dependent thalassemia and other iron overload conditions.
- Jayempi (Azathioprine) Azathioprine 10 mg/ml oral suspension; immunosuppressant (ATC code L04AX01) acting by purine synthesis inhibition, supplied for patients requiring immunosuppression including pediatric populations.
- Kapanol (Morphine) Morphine sulfate pentahydrate 10 mg, 20 mg, 50 mg, 100 mg, or 200 mg prolonged-release capsules; opioid analgesic (ATC code N02AA01) used for chronic pain management including cancer pain.
- Litak (Cladribine) Cladribine 2 mg/ml solution for injection; purine analogue (ATC code L01BB04) used to inhibit the growth of cancer cells, indicated in hairy cell leukemia and other hematologic malignancies.
- Myrin (Thalidomide) Thalidomide 50 mg or 100 mg coated tablets; immunosuppressant (ATC code L04AX02) affecting the immune system and cancer cell growth, prescribed and dispensed under the Thalidomide Lipomed Pregnancy Prevention Programme.
- Qaialdo (Spironolactone) Spironolactone 10 mg/ml oral suspension; diuretic and aldosterone antagonist (ATC code C03DA01) supplied as a competitive aldosterone antagonist formulation.
- Santuril (Probenecid) Probenecid 500 mg tablets; uricosuric agent (ATC code M04AB01) used to increase urinary excretion of uric acid in chronic gout management.
- Thalidomide Lipomed Thalidomide 100 mg coated tablets; immunosuppressant (ATC code L04AX02) prescribed and dispensed under the proprietary Thalidomide Pregnancy Prevention Programme to ensure safe use in line with teratogenic risk requirements.
- Xaluprine (Mercaptopurine) Mercaptopurine monohydrate 20 mg/ml oral suspension; purine analogue (ATC code L01BB02) used to inhibit the growth of cancer cells, indicated in acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
- Xromi (Hydroxycarbamide) Hydroxycarbamide 100 mg/ml oral solution; antineoplastic agent (ATC code L01XX05) that inhibits cell division and increases fetal hemoglobin (HbF), reducing vaso-occlusive crises in sickle cell disease.
- Natural CBD Pure API Crystalline powder Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient derived from plants, containing cannabidiol with assay > 98.0% and purity > 99.0%, manufactured per ICH Q7 GMP and analyzed against Ph. Eur. 3151 monograph; available in 5 g or 10 g units for B2B pharmaceutical manufacturer customers.
- API Regulatory Dossier Support Services Professional services supporting API customers in achieving worldwide regulatory approvals for finished products containing Lipomed APIs, covering compilation and lifecycle management of pharmaceutical dossiers including CEP, DMF, ASMF, IMPD/IND, and IMA/MAA filings.
Quantifiable outcome
- Products authorized in all EU member states plus additional international markets
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Lipomed
Customer profileSegments6 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Lipomed technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Lipomed partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
41 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Apocare Pharma GmbHcoreExclusive distributor for Lipomed products in Germany and Austria. Handles distribution of Jayempi (azathioprine), Qaialdo (spironolactone), Xaluprine (mercaptopurine), and Xromi (hydroxycarbamide) in these markets. Also distributes educational materials for healthcare professionals and patients.
- Alloga FrancemajorPharmaceutical distribution partner in France handling storage, logistics, and distribution of Lipomed products in the French market.
- Euromed Pharma FrancemajorPharmaceutical distribution partner in France for Lipomed products. Located in Saint-Priest, France.
- Caragen LimitedmajorDistribution partner in Ireland, operating from Dublin. Handles pharmaceutical product distribution in the Irish market.
- AAH PharmaceuticalsmajorMajor pharmaceutical distributor in the UK and Ireland. VAT Number: GB222516987. Handles product distribution in the UK market.
- MAWDSLEY-BROOKS & COMPANY LIMITEDmajorPharmaceutical distribution partner in the UK. Specializes in distribution of specialty pharmaceuticals including orphan drugs and complex medications.
- TEVA PharmaceuticalsmajorGlobal pharmaceutical company handling distribution in Hungary (Debrecen) and Romania (Bucharest) for Lipomed products.
- KERN PHARMA S.L.majorPharmaceutical distributor in Spain, part of Kern Pharma group. Located in Terrassa, Barcelona.
- CHIAPPAROLI LOGISTICA S.P.A.majorPharmaceutical logistics and distribution partner in Italy. Handles storage and distribution operations from Cerro al Lambro, Milan.
- WELCOOP LOGISTIQUEmajorPharmaceutical logistics partner in France. Handles storage, cold chain management, and distribution services from Parc des Lumières, Saint-Priest.
- ADDED PHARMA B.V.majorPharmaceutical wholesale distributor in the Netherlands. Located in Oss, Netherlands.
- BROCACEF BVmajorPharmaceutical wholesale distributor in the Netherlands. Handles product distribution from Maarssen, Netherlands.
- ALLIANCE HEALTHCAREmajorMajor pharmaceutical wholesale and distribution partner in the Netherlands. Distribution center located in Veghel.
- Medis d.o.o.majorPharmaceutical distribution partner covering Croatia and Slovenia markets. Located in Ljubljana, Slovenia.
- UAB NIROMED Ltd / UAB NORAMEDAmajorPharmaceutical distribution partners in Lithuania. NIROMED located in Vilnius, NORAMEDA also based in Vilnius.
- UNI-CHEMmajorPharmaceutical distribution partner in Serbia. Located in Belgrade.
- Biojam S.A.majorPharmaceutical distribution partner in Portugal. Located in Cascais.
- PHARMA KERN PORTUGALmajorPharmaceutical distribution partner in Portugal. Part of Kern Pharma group. Located in Carnaxide, Lisbon.
- M.S. JACOVIDES & CO. LTD.majorPharmaceutical distribution partner in Cyprus. Located in Nicosia.
- SPECIALTY THERAPEUTICS PCmajorPharmaceutical distribution partner in Greece. Specializing in specialty and niche pharmaceuticals. Located in Athens.
- LEKLI SH.P.K.minorPharmaceutical distribution partner in Albania. Located in Tirana.
- FARMA TREJD D.O.O.E.L.minorPharmaceutical distribution partner in North Macedonia. Located in Skopje.
- E.J. BUSUTTIL LTDminorPharmaceutical distribution partner in Malta. Located in Birkirkara (B'KARA).
- Private Company TPP JULKOminorPharmaceutical distribution partner in Ukraine. Located in Kiev.
- VIATRIS PTY LTDmajorGlobal pharmaceutical company and distribution partner in Australia. Located in Sydney NSW.
- Key Oncologics (PTY) LTDmajorSpecialized oncology pharmaceutical distributor in South Africa. Located in Johannesburg Houghton Estate.
- GADOR LTDA / GADOR S.A.majorPharmaceutical company and distributor in South America. Operates in Chile (Santiago) and Ecuador (Quito).
- ZONEPHARMA SASminorPharmaceutical distributor in Colombia. Located in Cali.
- Pharma Solutions Drug Store LLCminorPharmaceutical distributor covering Egypt and UAE markets. Located in Dubai.
- Pro Pharm LtdminorPharmaceutical distributor in Israel. Located in Zichron Yaacov.
- Al-WAFI DRUG STOREminorPharmaceutical distributor in Jordan. Located in Amman.
- Generation SanteminorPharmaceutical distributor in Morocco. Located in Casablanca.
- Pharmacie Centrale de TunisieminorGovernment-affiliated pharmaceutical distribution company in Tunisia. Located in Tunis.
- BG Pharmaceuticals / BG HealthcareminorPharmaceutical distributor in Peru. Located in Santiago de Surco, Lima.
- Sterimax IncminorPharmaceutical distributor in Canada. Located in Oakville, Ontario.
- MEDCOMTECH Joint Stock CompanyminorPharmaceutical and medical technology distributor in Vietnam. Head office in Hanoi, branch in Ho Chi Minh City.
- Referans Pharma / Miraly GashgaiminorPharmaceutical distributor in Azerbaijan. Located in Baku.
- KURANTIS APSminorPharmaceutical distributor in Denmark. Located in Frederiksberg, Copenhagen.
- MEDEX LTDminorPharmaceutical distributor in Bulgaria. Located in Svetovrachene, Sofia.
- INTERLABO SRLminorPharmaceutical distribution partner in Italy. Located in Lodi Vecchio, Milan.
- Lucane PharmaminorPharmaceutical company and distributor in France. Specializing in orphan drugs and specialty pharmaceuticals. Located in Paris.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Lipomed competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Siegfried Holding AG: Swiss-based pharmaceutical manufacturer combining API production with finished-dose capabilities and a similar European footprint. Siegfried is the closest functional analog to Lipomed in terms of vertical integration, niche focus, and Swiss GMP-certified API operations.
- Lucane Pharma: Paris-based pharmaceutical company focused exclusively on orphan drugs and rare diseases, including hematology and metabolic disorders. Lucane is already a Lipomed distribution partner in France and competes directly in the orphan-drug specialty niche.
- Carbogen Amcis: Swiss-headquartered API development and manufacturing services company with potent-substance expertise. Direct comparable to Lipomed's API manufacturing business, including DMF/CMC documentation services and ICH Q7-compliant production.
- Stragen Pharma: Swiss specialty pharmaceutical company focused on niche endocrinology, oncology, and rare diseases. Comparable size and Swiss-headquartered base with similar specialty-pharma distribution model across Europe.
- Stallergenes Greer: Specialty biopharmaceutical company focused on allergen immunotherapy and adjacent niche indications, with comparable size, European manufacturing base, and similar multi-jurisdiction regulatory authorization footprint.
- PolyPeptide Group AG: Swiss-headquartered GMP manufacturer specializing in peptide APIs and select small molecules, with comparable scale and similar end-markets in pharma contract manufacturing. Operates as a similar-sized specialty API platform serving global pharma customers.
Broad incumbents
- HRA Pharma (Perrigo): Specialty pharmaceutical company with strong focus on rare diseases, endocrinology, and niche therapeutic areas; now part of Perrigo. Competes with Lipomed in the orphan-drug and specialty endocrinology space across EU markets.
- CSL Vifor (Vifor Pharma): Swiss-headquartered specialty pharma with strong hematology/iron-overlap franchise (including iron chelation), closely paralleling Lipomed's Deferiprone Lipomed. Operates at substantially larger scale but addresses the same therapeutic niches.
- Swedish Orphan Biovitrum (Sobi): Specialty biopharma focused on rare diseases including hematology (hemophilia) and immunology. Overlaps with Lipomed's rare-hematology franchise at much larger scale, with comparable global authorization strategy.
- Recordati Rare Diseases (Orphan Europe): Dedicated rare-disease business unit of Recordati Group marketing specialty pharmaceuticals for hematology, oncology, and metabolic rare diseases across Europe and international markets. Operates at meaningfully larger scale but addresses the same niche indications.
Market position
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Lipomed social profiles
Digital presenceLipomed compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Lipomed financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Lipomed leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Lipomed subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Lipomed funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Lipomed M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Lipomed
What does Lipomed do?
Lipomed is a Swiss pharmaceutical manufacturer that develops, produces, and commercializes niche ethical (prescription) drugs and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), with a portfolio focused on rare hematological disorders (beta-thalassemia, sickle cell disease, hairy cell leukemia), oncology (Hodgkin's lymphoma, multiple myeloma, ALL), chronic pain, opioid dependence, and gout. The company also sells GMP-certified Natural CBD API and provides regulatory dossier support services to API customers for worldwide product approvals.
Is Lipomed a public or private company?
Lipomed is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Lipomed founded?
Lipomed was founded in 1993. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Lipomed based?
Lipomed is headquartered in Arlesheim, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does Lipomed make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Finished Pharmaceutical Products Sales are the primary driver. The others are active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) and API Regulatory Dossier Services.
Who are Lipomed's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Siegfried Holding AG, Lucane Pharma, Carbogen Amcis, Stragen Pharma, Stallergenes Greer and PolyPeptide Group AG. Broad incumbents are HRA Pharma (Perrigo), CSL Vifor (Vifor Pharma), Swedish Orphan Biovitrum (Sobi) and Recordati Rare Diseases (Orphan Europe).
Does Lipomed have an API?
No public API is recorded for Lipomed.
What industry is Lipomed in?
Lipomed's product category is Niche / Orphan Disease Pharmaceuticals (Hematology and Oncology). Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAGAHAM, Small-Molecule CMC Documentation & Regulatory Support (DMF/CMC). Its SIC code is 2834.