Genzyme is one of the world’s leading biotechnology companies. Its approximately 10,000 employees work in countries throughout the world and are united by a common goal: to make a major positive impact on the lives of people with debilitating diseases.
Since its founding in 1981, Genzyme has grown from a small start-up to a diversified enterprise with 2010 revenues of $4.05 billion. Over the past three decades Genzyme has introduced a number of breakthrough treatments in several areas of medicine, which have provided hope to patients who previously had no viable treatment options. Genzyme products are helping patients in 100 countries.
Today, Genzyme continues to be driven by its commitment to patients. The company is working to develop new medicines, improve its existing therapies, secure approvals for its products around the world, and ensure that patients have access to these treatments. Genzyme is a Sanofi company.
Genzyme focuses on the following broad areas of medicine:
Personalized Genetic Health - Genzyme is a leader in the development of treatments for lysosomal storage disorders. These inherited diseases, which typically affect fewer than 10,000 people worldwide, are caused by enzyme deficiencies. Genzyme markets enzyme replacement products to treat four of these diseases, which can be life-threatening:
Cerezyme® (imiglucerase for injection) – for Gaucher disease type I.
Fabrazyme® (agalsidase beta) – for Fabry disease.
Aldurazyme® (laronidase) – for Mucopolysaccharidosis I.
Myozyme® (alglucosidase alfa) and Lumizyme® (alglucosidase alfa) – for Pompe disease.
Renal and Endocrinology - Genzyme currently markets five products for these disease areas, which affect millions of patients around the world:
Renagel® (sevelamer hydrochloride) is Genzyme’s calcium-free, metal-free phosphate binder that reduces phosphorous levels in chronic kidney disease patients (CKD) who are on dialysis.
Renvela® (sevelamer carbonate) is a next-generation version of Renagel, approved in the U.S. for use in dialysis patients, and in Europe for patients on dialysis and with earlier stage CKD. Genzyme is pursuing additional approvals worldwide.
Hectorol® (doxercalciferol) is a vitamin D2 treatment for secondary hyperparathyroidism in CKD patients.
Thyrogen® (thyrotropin alfa for injection), is used in thyroid cancer follow-up, allowing patients to be screened without having to suspend thyroid hormone therapy. It is also approved in the U.S. and Europe for use in remnant ablation, a procedure patients commonly undergo when being treated for thyroid cancer.
Hematology and Oncology - Genzyme is a leader in the effort to develop and apply the most advanced technologies in the areas of hematology and oncology. The company’s treatments are focused on leukemia, lymphoma and transplant.
Campath® / Mabcampath® (alemtuzumab) is a first-line treatment for B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL).
Clolar® / Evoltra® (clofarabine) is a treatment for children with refractory or relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
Mozobil® (plerixafor injection), is used in stem cell transplantation procedures in patients with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and multiple myeloma.
Fludara® (fludarabine phosphate) is a treatment for patients with B-CLL who have not responded to or whose disease has progressed during chemotherapy.
Leukine® (sargramostim) is used to help reduce the incidence of severe and life-threatening infections in patients with acute myelogenous leukemia following chemotherapy.
Thymoglobulin® (anti-thymocyte globulin, rabbit) treats acute rejection in kidney transplant patients by suppressing the body’s natural immune response.
Biosurgery - Genzyme’s biosurgery business unit develops and markets innovative, biologically based products for osteoarthritis relief, adhesion prevention, cartilage repair, and severe burn treatment.
Synvisc®, Synvisc-One™ (hylan G-F 20) Synvisc is one of the world’s top therapies to treat the pain of osteoarthritis of the knee; Synvisc-One offers a new, single-injection treatment option.
Carticel® (autologous cultured chondrocytes) is a cell-based therapy to help repair damaged knee cartilage currently marketed in the United States.
MACI® (Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation) is a cell-based therapy to help repair damaged knee cartilage currently marketed in Europe and Australia.
Seprafilm® is designed to prevent painful and potentially debilitating adhesions following surgical procedures.
Epicel® (cultured epidermal autografts) is a cell-based therapy for treating patients with severe, life-threatening burns.
Research and Development
Genzyme's research and development efforts are focused on the areas of medicine where it markets commercial products. The company also conducts research in immune-mediated diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, and other areas of unmet medical need.
Genzyme continues to build its pipeline through both internal research and licensing and acquisitions, focusing on product candidates with the potential to change the standard of care for serious diseases. The company’s broad pipeline features several major late-stage programs, including: alemtuzumab for multiple sclerosis; the oral therapy eliglustat tartrate for Gaucher disease; and mipomersen for familial hypercholesterolemia and other high risk, high cholesterol patients.
Corporate Responsibility
Corporate responsibility is a priority at Genzyme. The company’s commitment to patients extends beyond the development of new treatments and the services needed to deliver them. Genzyme has a strong presence in developing countries, where it provides free medicine to patients and helps to build sustainable health care systems. The company in 2006 launched an initiative to support the development of treatments for neglected diseases that affect hundred of millions of people in the developing world. Genzyme’s headquarters is one of the most environmentally responsible office buildings in the world, and the company is a leader in waste-reduction and recycling efforts.
In addition, Genzyme supports science education and health initiatives in the communities in which it operates. For these and other efforts, Genzyme has been consistently included in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, which consists of companies that excel in economic, environmental and social performance. BusinessWeek has ranked Genzyme as one of the top corporate givers, and the company has also been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and many other organizations.
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