About us. History

Milestones in IBA history:

• 1957. In October, the Institute of Antibiotics was formed as a scientific and research back-office for the Polish antibiotics industry. The former La Roche plant in Warsaw at ul. Starościńska was designated as the headquarters. Franciszek Ulak, M.Sc.Eng. took the position of first Director of the Institute.
• 1962. Relocation of the Institute to a new building at ul. Starościńska 5.
• 1965. Prof. Halina Bojarska-Dahlig took the position of Director.
• 1972. The Institute of Antibiotics was merged with the Pharmaceutical Institute to create the Institute of Pharmaceutical Industry (IPI) headed by assistant prof. Kazimierz Samuła.
• 1981. The former Institute of Antibiotics was separated from the IPI and merged into the Innovation and Development Division of “Polfa” Pharmaceutical Plant in Tarchomin (Tarchomińskie Zakłady Farmaceutyczne Polfa). The Director was Edward Żukowski, Ph.D.Eng.
• 1985. The former Institute of Antibiotics became an independent institution again when the Research and Development Centre of Biotechnology (RDCB) was created under the leadership of E. Żukowski, Ph.D.Eng.
• 1992. The RDCB was converted into the Institute of Biotechnology and Antibiotics with E. Żukowski, Ph.D.Eng. as a Director until 1996 when he passed away.
  
• 1995-1997. Experimental and manufacturing departments
  of the Institute were isolated to create BIOTON S.A.

Major developments and implementations:

Technologies developed in the Institute were implemented in the then major pharmaceutical plants such as “Polfa" Pharmaceutical Plant in Tarchomin, “Polfa” Pharmaceutical Plant in Kraków (Krakowskie Zakłady Farmaceutyczne Polfa) and “Polfa” Pharmaceutical Plant in Pabianice (Pabianickie Zakłady Farmaceutyczne Polfa), and after 1990 in BIOTON.

Key developments:

• The 60s. Streptomycin, tetracycline, erythromycin and neomycin, semi-synthetic erythromycin derivatives such as erythromycin propionate lauryl sulphate and erythromycin stearate, ampicillin, nafcillin, carbenicillin, vibramycin, rondomycin; semi-synthetic beta-lactam antibiotics, penicillins and cephalosporins and tetracycline derivatives were investigated; technology to obtain polyfungin (an original antifungal antibiotic) was developed and implemented through into production based on an in-house grown and patented strain; a technology for the synthetic antigen (trade name Testarpen) for penicillin allergy identification was developed.
• The 70s. More innovative antibiotics such as lincomycin, oxytetracycline, polymyxin and its derivative colistin, bacitracine were investigated; technology for obtaining a new erythromycin derivative (cyclic erythromycin carbonate) was developed and introduced in treatment under the trade name of Davercin (an original Polish drug).
• The 80s. New generation cephalosporins in mass (ceftriaxon, cefamandol, cefuroxime) and aminoglycoside antibiotics such as amikacin for injections and as eye drops implemented under the trade name of Biodacyna; new technology for obtaining L-dopa, Gyno-Trosyd, restrictive enzymes, monoclonal antibodies; semi-synthetic penicillin were introduced through into production in the “Polfa” Tarchomin Plant under the trade name of “Pipril”; antineoplastic anthracycline antibiotics began to be investigated.
• The 90s. 2nd and 3rd generation cephalosporins were developed and implemented through into production. These included ceftriaxon (Biotrakson), cefotaxim (Biotaksym), cefuroxime (Biofuroksym), ceftazidime (Biotum) and cefoperazone (Cefobid) and oral forms (tablets and syrup) of cefuroxime axetil (Bioracef); moreover clarithromycin, clindamycin and linkomycin manufacturing technology was developed; anthracycline antibiotic preparations were developed such as doxorubicin (Biorubina) and epirubicin (Bioepicyna) and a technology for obtaining daunomycin; antilaeukemic preparation under the name of Biodribin (cladribine) was implemented through into production.
• 2000-2005. A many-year team effort to develop the technology for obtaining recombined human insulin was successfully completed. In December 2000, a biosynthetic human insulin preparation solution, isophane biosynthetic human insulin preparation and their mixtures (a total of 17 pharmaceutical forms) were registered and implemented through into production in BIOTON under the name of Gensulin (awards). The following preparations were developed and implemented through in BIOTON as eye drops: betaxolol (Betabion), diclofenac (Diclobion), potassium and sodium iodides (Vidibion), tropicamide (Tropicabion) and tetryzoline hydrochloride (Zalbion).