Develco Pharma

About Develco Pharma

Develco Pharma is a Swiss-German pharmaceutical company established in 2006 by Dr. Mathias Scheer and the late Dr. Dirk Kramer, with other key management members joining shortly after. The company specializes in the development, approval, and production of orally administered medicines with modified or extended-release formulations for known active ingredients. Its core business involves creating difficult-to-make drug formulations, such as those using multi-unit pellet and matrix systems, primarily focusing on therapies for severe pain and ADHD.

The company operates a full-service business model, managing the entire value chain from initial concept, API sourcing, and formulation development to clinical trials, regulatory approval, and manufacturing. After securing market authorization, Develco licenses its products to global pharmaceutical companies for international distribution. Revenue is generated through these licensing partnerships and contract manufacturing services offered at its state-of-the-art production facility in Schopfheim, Germany, which opened in 2016. This facility manufactures products for a global market, including approximately 200 million analgesics annually. The company's business strategy includes co-development partnerships, offering a risk-and-value-share approach to clients.

Headquartered in Pratteln, Switzerland, Develco has received significant investment to support its growth. The company has raised a total of $11 million over two funding rounds, including a Series A round in October 2024 led by SHS Capital, a private equity firm that has been an investor since 2020. These funds are aimed at scaling operations, expanding manufacturing capacity, and investing in new product development to meet rising market demand.