Hovione was founded in Portugal in 1959 by three Hungarians, HOrty, VIllax and ONody, who together constituted Hovione´s name.

Its main founder and chemist, Ivan Villax, was primarily involved in the research of semi-synthetic tetracyclines (antibiotics) and anti-inflammatory corticosteroids. The success of the research, financed in part by royalties derived from the licensing of existing patents to multinationals, and from small-scale production and export, brought about Hovione’s first major turning point: in 1969, the first factory was commissioned and built in Loures, in the outskirts of Lisbon. With this new manufacturing unit, Hovione was able to increase and ascertain its position as a player in the world-wide market of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).

From the very start, two factors distinguished our products: technological content and quality in manufacture. Being very much research oriented, the company concentrated on products that were difficult to make and thus had an assured market.

The first commercial successes came in the 60's and 70's with the sales of betamethasone and derivatives to Japan as the primary market. In 1982, the Loures plant was inspected and approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Hovione launched in the USA the semi-synthetic antibiotic, doxycycline, as the product came off patent. With Hovione's doxycycline, independent laboratories have increased the total market four times since 1983. Hovione's product still has today a market share of 75%. In 1987, dexamethasone dipropionate, a Hovione patented development, was launched in Japan where it quickly became the top selling product in the topical anti-inflammatory therapeutic class. During the 90´s, Hovione developed and began supplying contrast media agents, and focused on meeting the outsourcing needs of the Pharma Industry. Over 15 years ago we started to offer our skills to the Innovators and became a leading supplier of development services and of clinical trial materials offering continuity into commercial manufacturing. At some point we were one of the largest world producers of HIV protease inhibitors. In 2006, we provided all the services related to the API for 41 NCEs in development (Phase I to NDA filing).