What FARCO does

FARCO-PHARMA GmbH is a privately held German pharmaceutical manufacturer founded in 1964 and headquartered in Cologne. The company specializes in sterile medical products for urology and adjacent specialties, organized around four product categories: sterile lubricant gels (Instillagel®, Endosgel®, InstillaGel® Lubri, Instillido®), instillation therapies (VESOXX® for neurogenic detrusor overactivity), catheter inflation solutions (Farco-fill® Aqua-Glycerol), and the proprietary mediNiK® two-component hydrogel method for endoscopic removal of kidney stone fragments. Products are manufactured in Germany under pharmaceutical purity standards supervised by Bezirksregierung Köln and are CE-marked for use in operating rooms, medical practices, and home environments, including applications extending into gynecology, neurology, surgery, and anesthesia.

FARCO generates revenue through B2B pharmaceutical product sales to healthcare providers — hospitals, urology clinics, medical practices, and individual patients performing self-catheterization — via a distribution model built on 30+ international distribution partners reaching 60+ countries. Pricing is negotiated rather than publicly disclosed. The company supports its commercial activity with participation and organization of more than 90 medical conferences, symposia, and clinical education events per year, alongside community engagement programs such as the Hans-Flohr-Preise for young urology talent and the #NDOteenCamp for adolescents with neurogenic bladder. The company is led by two Geschäftsführer, Dr. Marc Vollenbröker and Dr. Stefan Koch, expanded its portfolio through the 2024 acquisition of Purenum GmbH, and operates as part of the broader Klosterfrau Group.

Name

FARCO

Legal name

FARCO-PHARMA GmbH

Website

https://farco.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

FARCO-PHARMA GmbH is a German specialty pharmaceutical company, founded 1964 in Cologne, that manufactures sterile lubricants, instillation therapies, catheter solutions, and a proprietary kidney-stone-removal hydrogel, selling to hospitals, clinics, and patients in 60+ countries via 30+ distribution partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Urology Pharmaceutical Products

NAICS

Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412)

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

Nephrology & Urology Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Nephrology & Urology Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAM), Sterile & Aseptic Medical Packaging (Pouches, Wraps, Sterile Barriers) (IMALAIAB)

Keywords

• Sterile urological lubricants
• Urology pharmaceutical products
• Intravesical instillation therapy
• Catheter medical supplies
• Kidney stone removal devices

Headquarters

HQ city

Cologne

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Pharmaceutical Product Sales: Sale of sterile medical products including lubricants, instillation therapies, catheter solutions, and hydrogel methods to healthcare providers, hospitals, clinics, and through distribution partners.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

FARCO-PHARMA manufactures and sells sterile pharmaceutical products for urology applications. Its portfolio spans four categories: sterile lubricant gels for medical instrument insertion, intravesical instillation therapies, sterile catheter inflation (blocker) solutions, and the proprietary mediNiK Hydrogel Method for endoscopic kidney stone fragment removal. Products are produced in Germany under pharmaceutical purity standards and distributed to healthcare providers globally.

Product overview

FARCO-PHARMA GmbH is a German pharmaceutical company specializing in urology medical products, operating as an international market leader in sterile lubricants and instillation therapies. The company's product portfolio comprises four main categories: (1) Sterile Lubricants (Sterile Gleitgele) including Instillagel®, Endosgel®, InstillaGel® Lubri, Instillido®, and devices InstillaClip and Instillaquill® for medical instrument insertion; (2) Instillation Therapy including VESOXX® for neurogenic detrusor overactivity; (3) Catheter Inflation Solutions with Farco-fill® Aqua-Glycerol for balloon catheter blocking; and (4) Hydrogel Method featuring mediNiK® for endoscopic kidney stone fragment removal. FARCO produces all products in Germany under highest pharmaceutical purity standards, with products distributed in over 60 countries through 30+ distribution partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Instillagel®: Sterile lubricant gel with local anesthetic and disinfecting effect for urological examinations and catheterization.
• Endosgel®
• Instillido®
• InstillaGel® Lubri
• Instillaquill®
• InstillaClip
• VESOXX®
• mediNiK®
• Farco-fill® Aqua-Glycerol

Products and services

• Instillagel® Sterile lubricant gel with local anesthetic (lidocaine) and disinfecting effects for use during urological procedures involving catheters, endoscopes, and other medical instruments. Sold to healthcare providers.
• Endosgel® Sterile lubricant gel with physiological conductivity and supporting disinfecting effect, used for medical instrument instillation into the ureter. Sold to healthcare providers.
• InstillaGel® Lubri Drug-free sterile lubricant gel for medical instrument insertion, providing friction reduction without active pharmaceutical ingredients. Sold to healthcare providers.
• Instillido® Sterile lubricant gel with local anesthetic effect for use during examinations and procedures involving medical instruments. Sold to healthcare providers.
• InstillaClip Penile clamp device to facilitate urological examinations by providing temporary compression during procedures. Sold to healthcare providers.
• Instillaquill® Sterile single-use applicator for extending the FARCO syringe cone to facilitate local anesthesia during gynecological examinations, enabling gentle gel instillation into the cervical canal. Sold to healthcare providers.
• VESOXX® Intravesical solution for the treatment of neurogenic detrusor overactivity (NDO), administered via instillation therapy into the bladder. Sold to healthcare providers.
• Farco-fill® Aqua-Glycerol Sterile blocker solution for filling balloon catheters, used to secure indwelling catheters in the bladder. Sold to healthcare providers.
• mediNiK® Two-component hydrogel for endoscopic removal of kidney stone fragments, representing the proprietary Hydrogel Method developed by FARCO-PHARMA for achieving complete stone clearance. Sold to healthcare providers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Products used by thousands of patients worldwide
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Purenum GmbHacquisitionStrategic or Co-development PartnerFARCO-PHARMA acquired Purenum GmbH, expanding their product portfolio and market presence in the urology sector.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Convatec: UK-listed medical products company with continence care and ostomy franchises, including urological consumables and accessories for hospital and home use. Comparable to FARCO in serving catheterization, continence, and urology patient segments with sterile disposable products.
• Coloplast: Danish medical device company with a global urology and continence care franchise, including sterile lubricants, catheters, and urology accessories. Directly comparable to FARCO in serving hospital urology and self-catheterization patients with sterile consumables, though at much greater scale and with a broader portfolio.
• Richard Wolf: German mid-sized medical technology company specializing in endoscopy and urology instrumentation, with adjacent consumables for urological procedures. Comparable to FARCO as a German-headquartered urology-focused company whose products are used in the same endoscopic urology workflows as FARCO's gels and hydrogels.
• Teleflex: Diversified medical technology company with a sizable urology portfolio (catheters, urological drainage, and accessory products) used by hospitals and clinics. Comparable to FARCO in targeting urology procedural consumables, though Teleflex operates across many other clinical specialties as well.
• Hollister Incorporated: US-headquartered medical products company with a dedicated continence care and urology business selling sterile lubricants, catheters, and related urology consumables. Comparable to FARCO in product category and end-user patient base, including self-catheterization and neurogenic bladder populations.
• Karl Storz: German family-owned manufacturer of endoscopes and instrumentation for urology and other surgical specialties. Comparable to FARCO in serving urology endoscopic procedures, where FARCO's Instillagel®, Endosgel®, and mediNiK® products are used alongside Karl Storz endoscopic systems.

Broad incumbents

• B. Braun Melsungen: Large German medical device and pharmaceutical company producing sterile solutions, infusion therapy, and urology consumables. Comparable to FARCO as a German-headquartered manufacturer of sterile urology-related pharmaceutical products, though B. Braun operates across many other clinical areas at significantly larger scale.
• Fresenius Medical Care: Global healthcare group with products and services in dialysis and adjacent renal/urological care. Comparable to FARCO only in a broad sense as a German healthcare group serving renal patients; overlap is partial and indirect relative to FARCO's core urology consumables franchise.
• Boston Scientific: Global medical device company with a meaningful urology franchise covering stone management, continence, and BPH treatments. Comparable to FARCO in targeting the same urology and kidney stone management markets, though Boston Scientific operates as a much larger diversified medtech incumbent.
• Cook Medical: US-headquartered privately held medical device company with a urology division offering stone management, continence, and catheter products. Comparable to FARCO in targeting urology procedures (including kidney stone management, where Cook competes with mediNiK®), though Cook's portfolio is far broader.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FarcoPharma
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/farco-pharma-gmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 FARCO