KEY DATES IN LFB’S HISTORY
Creation of LFB
LFB has become a leading French player in the plasma-derived medicinal products industry. As the sole French fractionation company, it strives to provide patients with the medicinal products they need.
Creation of the Public Interest Group LFB or Laboratoire Français du Fractionnement et des Biotechnologies (French Laboratory for Fractionation and Biotechnologies).
The LFB Public Interest Group is granted status as a pharmaceutical site, and is authorised to produce medicinal products.
The “Groupement d’intérêt public” (GIP) becomes a majority State-owned limited company, currently wholly owned by the French State.
The subsidiaries LFB BIOMEDICAMENTS and LFB BIOTECHNOLOGIES are created.
- LFB BIOMEDICAMENTS specialises in the manufacture and marketing of plasma-derived medicinal products,
- LFB BIOTECHNOLOGIES is a strategic subsidiary of the LFB group charged with carrying out the group’s biotechnology activities.
International expansion of LFB
Since 2007, LFB has been expanding internationally, through the acquisition of subsidiaries or the conclusion of commercial agreements to develop and market its medicinal products.
2007:
Acquisition of a site for the development and production of recombinant proteins and monoclonal antibodies in Alès. This becomes the LFB BIOMANUFACTURING subsidiary.
2008:
Industrial agreement with the Dutch fractionation company, Sanquin.
2009:
LFB is granted two significant Marketing Authorisations (MA) in France:
- for its liquid immunoglobulin,
- for its fibrinogen.
Creation of the US subsidiaries LFB USA Inc. and rEVO BIOLOGICS for the development of recombinant therapeutic proteins.
2010:
Acquisition of EUROPLASMA, specialised in blood and plasma collection, for its international activities.
Creation of CELLforCURE, a subsidiary specialising in advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs). It is the first technological platform in Europe for cell therapy.
2013:
Opening of the German subsidiary LFB GmbH responsible for promoting LFB’s biopharmaceutical products in Germany. The subsidiary specialises in marketing and communications with healthcare professionals.
2015:
Opening of the English subsidiary LFB BIOPHARMACEUTICALS in the United Kingdom and of the subsidiary LFB BIOTERAPIAS in Spain. These two subsidiaries are responsible for promoting LFB’s biopharmaceutical products in their respective countries. Their role is to facilitate the supply of plasma-derived medicinal products to British and Spanish healthcare institutions.
The capital of LFB S.A. is increased by €230 million.
2016:
LFB becomes sole shareholder of CAF-DCF in Belgium. This subsidiary is responsible for marketing in Belgium medicinal products derived from plasma collected by the Belgian Red Cross.
Inauguration of LFB BIOMANUFACTURING’s new industrial facilities at the Alès site.
Agreement with ImmunoTek for the supply of plasma collected in the USA.
Strategic transformation of LFB
The transformation strategy, considered crucial for the future of LFB, was conceived in 2018 and implemented in 2019, with the goal of refocusing the company's activities on its core business: medicinal products derived from plasma or recombinant proteins.
Denis Delval is appointed Chief Executive Officer of LFB in 2018. LFB’s fibrinogen and liquid immunoglobulin are registered in Europe and LFB signs a distribution agreement in Mexico, with the joint venture LFB MEXICO, for its expansion in South America.
The strategic transformation of LFB is presented and is rapidly implemented in 2019.
2019, a strategic project to transform LFB is launched by the Group’s Executive Committee:
- Refocusing of activities on the core business: medicinal products derived from plasma or recombinant proteins,
- Priority given to industrial activities to support market growth,
- Consolidation of LFB’s leadership in France and selective international development,
- Implementation of a new organisational structure as part of refocusing of the portfolio of activities, and in particular negotiation of a Collective Mutual Termination Termination plan.
In 2020, the American regulatory authority, the Food and Drug Administration, approves the marketing (under Biologics License Application 2061) of SEVENFACT® in the United States. This is a new recombinant coagulation factor VIIa indicated for the treatment of certain rare forms of haemophilia.
It was also in 2020 that LFB signed an agreement with the biotech company Xenothera to manufacture the first clinical research batch of Xenothera’s drug candidate XAV-19 for the treatment of coronavirus infections including COVID-19.
In 2021, the EMA validates the filing of a marketing authorisation application for (activated) eptacog beta, LFB’s recombinant factor VIIa, already marketed in the United States since 2020.
At the same time, LFB S.A.’s capital is increased by €500 million.
New LFB governance structure
This decision represents a new milestone in the company’s evolution and is taken in response to the major industrial challenges to be faced in the years to come, with in particular the expected commissioning of the new Arras site as a key part of its ambitious growth plan.
2022:
LFB’s Board of Directors decides on 30 August 2022 to separate the functions of Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of the company. In this context, it proposes the appointment of Jacques Brom as General Manager of LFB to replace Denis Delval, whose term as Chief Executive Officer is coming to an end. Furthermore, Corinne Fau is appointed Chairwoman of LFB’s Board of Directors, with effect on the date of Jacques Brom’s appointment.
LFB announces the approval of CEVENFACTA®, a recombinant activated factor VII, in the European Union.
Read the press release
2023
LFB’s future plant in Arras reaches a crucial milestone: the official authorisation to open a pharmaceutical site is issued by the ANSM (French National Agency for Medicines and Health Products Safety).
LFB BIOMANUFACTURING, a subsidiary of LFB specialising in the production of therapeutic proteins by cell culture, launches a project the same year to increase its bioproduction capacity, with funding from the “France 2030” plan. This is a strategic project for LFB and will help double the industrial capacities of its Alès site, and thus increase the bioproduction of innovative therapies in France.
2024
LFB unveils its raison d’être: “LFB, expertise committed to life” as a guide for LFB’s expert areas and operations and in line with its quest to continue having a concrete impact on patients and in the world.
Read the press release
Today, LFB and its subsidiary Europlasma announce the acquisition of Amber Plasma, a company specialised in the opening and management of plasma collection centres in the Czech Republic, with the goal of reinforcing its collection network in Europe.
Read the press release
LFB announces the extension of the indications of WILFACTIN® / WILLFACT® to entire paediatric population in European Union countries.
Read the press release
LFB BIOMANUFACTURING and Sartorius announce collaboration to provide an integrated solution from development of a cell line to the production of biomedicinal products.
Read the press release
LFB BIOMANUFACTURING’s site in Alès expands to double its biomedicinal product production capacity. With the sponsorship and support of Catherine Vautrin, French Minister of Labour, Health and Solidarity, and Lise Alter, Director General of the French Health Innovation Agency, LFB BIOMANUFACTURING laid the first stone today for the extension of its Alès production site. As a subsidiary of LFB specialising in the production of therapeutic proteins and monoclonal antibodies by cell culture in particular, LFB BIOMANUFACTURING aims through this project co-financed by the French government via the “France 2030” plan to ultimately double the site’s production capacity and create around fifty jobs. This project comes in a context marked by growing demand for biomedicinal products, in France and worldwide.
Read the press release
