Roscoe Brady and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) discover that lipid accumulation in Gaucher disease is caused by an absence of the enzyme glucocerebrosidase.

Enzyme replacement therapy first attempted at the NIH as a treatment for Gaucher disease.

A high-yield purification method of glucocerebrosidase from human placenta is developed at the NIH.

Integrated Genetics expresses recombinant dimeric glycoproteins (LH & FSH).

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) modifies Genzyme produced glucocerebrosidase to infuse in patients.

Vivigen, a company acquired by Integrated Genetics, uses new technology to provide prenatal test results in one week rather than the standard four weeks.

Genzyme begins working on the second-generation product, recombinant glucocerebrosidase.

Integrated Genetics discovers second-generation, longer-acting TPA.

Integrated Genetics develops transgenic mice that produce human tissue plasminogen activator in their milk.

Genzyme develops process for purifying and modifying the Ceredase^® (alglucerase injection) enzyme.

Genzyme receives patent covering the formulation of amylase test to diagnose pancreatitis.

Begins work on protein replacement therapy for cystic fibrosis.

Patent issued for preparing a number of insoluble HA derivatives.

Genzyme and its collaborators assemble the DNA coding sequence responsible for directing the production of Cystic Fibrosis Trans-membrane Regulator (CFTR) in cells to synthesize the protein. A year later, they propose the role of the CFTR protein as a chloride channel.

Genzyme receives a second HA patent.

Begins work in gene therapy, initially focused on cystic fibrosis.

Patent issued for hyaluronic-based product, HAL-C.

IG Labs introduces a technology to detect carriers of cystic fibrosis by identifying 12 of the disease’s most common mutations.

Genzyme secures two U.S. patents for the production of synthetic phospholipids.

Launches transgenic business from technology developed at Genzyme.

Issued patents for methods of producing Cerezyme^® (imiglucerase for injection) and Thyrogen^® (thyrotropin alpha for injection).

Begins internal drug discovery program

Genzyme licenses exclusive rights to use carbon sol technology in rapid test products.

The New England Journal of Medicine reports that a Swedish research group has successfully treated patients with knee cartilage injuries by autologously transplanting laboratory-grown cartilage cells into the defect.

Genzyme Transgenics expresses the world's first monoclonal antibody in the milk of a production animal.

Patent published attached to Genzyme’s first generation direct LDL cholesterol product.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration publishes guidelines to regulate manipulated autologous structural cells; Genzyme Tissue Repair submits a Biologic License Application for Carticel^® (autologous cultured chondrocytes).

Genzyme initiates gene therapy program for cardiovascular disease.

Patent issued covering SAGE^™ technology.

Patent issued for purifying antithrombin III from milk.

Genzyme Molecular Oncology initiates antigen discovery program using SAGE, SPHERE^™, and other proprietary technologies.

Genzyme Diagnostics launches its Contrast^® Giardia/Cryptosporidium Combo Rapid Assay.

Genzyme Genetics introduces an advanced down syndrome screening test, Afp4^SM, to its prenatal genetic services program and expands cancer testing.

The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute licenses to Genzyme Molecular Oncology the dendritic/cancer cell fusion technology for all therapeutic uses.

Genzyme Surgical Products markets Sepramesh^™ to strengthen hernia repairs.

Genzyme Molecular Oncology in-licenses 46 anti-angiogenic genes discovered by collaborators at Johns Hopkins using SAGE.

Genzyme Molecular Oncology issued patents on SPHERE technology and on first SPHERE peptides.

Drug discovery program runs over 50 screens and has 2.5 million compounds.

Acquires Novazyme’s glycoprotein technology.

Genzyme Biosurgery obtains broad patent protection for Gene Therapy Angiogenesis Program

Genzyme Molecular Oncology receives U.S. patent covering LongSAGE^™

Genzyme receives European patent covering SAGE^™

Preclinical studies show potential of enzyme replacement therapy to treat Type A Niemann-Pick disease, a severe genetic disorder affecting the brain.