The story
The origins of Besins Healthcare date back to the late 19th century, when Abel Besins, a wine merchant, and Paul Lebeault, a pharmacist, collaborated to develop a medicinal wine. Abel Besins took over the management of the company called Lebeault et Cie in 1886. During the Second World War, the company relocated its operations to Loudun (Vienne), where Jacques Besins had rented premises prior to the war. The acquisition of the Iscovesco laboratories by Jacques Besins in 1965 enabled the group to expand its product range to include hormone therapy via transdermal gels. By the 1970s, the company had developed and commercialized the first hormone replacement therapy gels for post-menopausal women, including Progestogel and Oestrogel.
In 1983, the company hired a lawyer, Michael X. Morrell, to secure FDA approval for two of its drugs. Then headed in France by Antoine Besins, the firm aimed for U.S. market entry by 1990, but approval was ultimately denied. In June 1999, the company became the first to market an emergency contraceptive pill over the counter in France. Called NorLevo, the drug contains only a progestin and was authorized for non-prescription use due to its favorable safety profile. In the late 1990s, Besins shifted focus, developing a testosterone gel in partnership with Unimed Pharmaceuticals. This collaboration led to the FDA approval of AndroGel in 2000, designed to treat severe testosterone deficiencies in young and middle-aged men. The company changes its name to Besins Healthcare in 2006. In 2023, Besins Healthcare inaugurated a new manufacturing facility in Muel, Spain, dedicated to the production of reproductive hormones, reinforcing its commitment to specialised pharmaceutical manufacturing.
From Wikipedia’s article on Besins Healthcare, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4