Milestones in Biohit’s history
A wide-ranging comparative study found Biohit’s Acetium® lozenge to be effective in helping smokers to give up smoking (www.acetium.com). Sales of the product began and comprehensive distribution channels were established in Finland via pharmacies, as well at grocery stores. The first few distribution agreements were also made for the product in other EU countries.
Biohit Oyj’s Acetium® was granted an important patent in Japan (Patent no: 6178657) Biohit’s distributor, Biohit Healthcare (Hefei) Co. Ltd, announced that it was increasing it’s investments in production capacity to 75 million tests annually. In the review period, Biohit Healthcare (Hefei) Co. Ltd also purchased 33.2.% of all of the shares in Biohit Oyj from the company’s main owner. Osmo Suovaniemi and his family, acquiring 29.5% of the voting rights based on shares. Osmo Suovaniemi is still having over 50 % of number of votes in the company.
Net sales EUR 10,1 million
Biohit Oyj acquires a stake in Genetic Analysis AS, a Norwegian company.
Biohit’s joint venture in China begins manufacturing the GastroPanel® product.
Net sales EUR 8,2 million
Biohit completes its first studies related to giving up smoking.
Study protocols available via Biohithealthcare.com
The first population-based GastroPanel® screen begins in China.
A vitamin D test based on vertical measurement joins the product range.
Standardised GastroPanel® immunoassays based on the vertical measurement invention are also launched.
Net sales EUR 6,1 million
New products: Calprotectin test for diagnosis and monitorin of inflammatory bowel diseases, Biohit Active B12 test to diagnosis of B12 vitamin deficiency.
Net sales EUR 4,4 million
Subsidiary in Italy
Joint Venture in China, Biohit Healthcare (Hefei) Co. Ltd.
Net sales EUR 3,5 million
International patents, incl. US, China, Europatent.
Net sales EUR 2,0 million
Launch of the unique Acetium® capsule that reduces carcinogenic acetaldehyde in the stomach
Establishment of a representative office in Singapore
Semi Korpela appointed new President & CEO of Biohit Group
Net sales EUR 2,2 million
Launch of the Acetium® capsule that reduces carcinogenic acetaldehyde in anacidic stomach.
Establishment of a representative office in Singapore.
Net sales EUR 40,0 million
Establishement of Biohit subsidiary in India
Launch of Pipetting Academy
Launch of SafetySpace™ Filter Tips
Renewal of product packages
Accreditation of Biohit’s pipette calibration laboratory in Russia
Net sales EUR 35,4 million
20th Anniversary of Biohit
Launch of ColonView faecal occult blood test
Launch of new filter tips
Accreditation of Biohit’s calibration laboratory in Germany
Net sales EUR 35,1 million
Launch of the new Proline Plus mechanical pipette range
Launch of GastroView (3-in-1 Indigestion Test) in the UK
Agreement with VWR concerning liquid handling product sales in Europe
Net sales EUR 35,7 million
Liquid Handling business receives ISO 13485 certification (CE/IVD compliance)
Biohit opens subsidiary and starts pipette assembly in China
Launch of the electronic eLINE Dispenser for multiple dispensing
Chinese scientists recommend GastroPanel® for use in Chinese health care
Biohit announces its new products that reduce carcinogenic acetaldehyde in the mouth and stomach
Launch of the Helicobacter pylori IgA/IgG ELISA test
Net sales EUR 31,4 million
China´s State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) granted Biohit a marketing authorization for the pepsinogen I & II and gastrin-17 tests included in the GastroPanel® examination
New contracts help strengthen the company’s OEM business
Net sales EUR 28,6 million
Launch of the multichannel mechanical mLINE pipettes
Launch of quick tests for diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection and lactose intolerance
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the GastroPanel® test kit’s serum-based H. pylori test
Prize awarded to Biohit by VWR USA, one of the largest global distributors of liquid handling products
Net sales EUR 26,7 million
Launch of the multichannel electronic eLINE pipettors
Establishement of Biohit’s representative office in China
Further development of the production at the Kajaani plant
Diagnostics business receives ISO 13485 certification and CE/IVD compliance
Net sales EUR 26,6 million
Launch of the new mLINE mechanical pipettor range
Enlargement of the electronic eLINE pipettor product range
Continuation of the automatisation at the production premises in Kajaani
Biohit opens a subsidiary in Russia
Net sales EUR 25,3 million
Marketing of the GastroPanel® began for research use and several clinical evaluations are being carried out
Development of test kit for cellular fibronectin (cFn)
Completion of new production premises for diagnostics in Helsinki, Finland Service laboratory operations start.
Net sales EUR 25,5 million
Completion of new production premises in Kajaani
Accreditation of Biohit’s pipette calibration laboratory in Finland
Preparation to commence the global marketing and sales of diagnostic tests and analyzing systems
Commencement of the sales of instruments
Reinforcement of international collaboration and customer service organization through acquisitions in the US and Russia
Net sales EUR 24,2 million
Listing on Helsinki Exchanges (New Market list)
Continuation of the aggressive patenting policy
Net sales EUR 20,5 million
Assembling of pipettors and injection moulding begins in Helsinki
Locus genex Oy and Biohit Systems, Inc. become Biohit Group companies
External evaluation of the first test kit (pepsinogen I) of the GastroPanel program
Ph.D. Thesis of Auli Linnala: Basic research on Biohit’s monoclonal antibodies (cFn and tenascin), which are related with cancer diagnostics
Net sales EUR 16,8 million
Moving into new facilities in Helsinki
ISO 9001 quality system certification
Co-operation with Becton Dickinson and 3M begins
Receiving EUREKA[2] status on the basis of which TEKES funding received for the GastroPanel® program
Net sales EUR 14,4 million
Reinforcement of international sales and marketing
The GastroPanel® program begins
Ph.D. Thesis of Sari Ylätupa: An application invention of vertical measurement and immunoassays; the determination of cFn from blood samples and its importance in cancer diagnostics
Net sales EUR 12,6 million
Launch of several new liquid handling products
Establishment of a Biohit subsidiary in Germany
Co-operation with Eastman Kodak Co. Clinical Diagnostic Systems, later acquired by Johnson & Johnson begins
Net sales EUR 10,5 million
Development of the renewed electronic pipettor
Co-operation with Ortho Diagnostic Systems of Johnson & Johnson begins
Establishment of joint venture in Japan
Ph.D. Thesis of Osmo Suovaniemi: The vertical measurement invention, its applications and the invention of electronic liquid handling devices
Net sales EUR 8,4 million
Launch of the multichannel Proline mechanical pipette
Co-operation regarding liquid handling products with Eppendorf and bioMérieux begins
Net sales EUR 6,4 million
Launch of the Proline mechanical pipette
Launch of the multichannel Proline electronic pipettor
Establishment of subsidiaries in Italy and the UK
Ph.D. Thesis of Tapani Tiusanen: An application invention of vertical measurement; the self-correcting, multiparameter measuring instrument
Net sales EUR 4,2 million
TEKES funding for the development of mechanical pipettors
Establishment of the first Biohit subsidiary, in France
Introduction of new monoclonal antibodies
Net sales EUR 2,1 million
Worldwide introduction of the first ergonomically designed electronic pipettor, the Proline
Assembling of pipettors and injection moulding begins in Kajaani, Finland
Introduction of first monoclonal antibodies
Net sales EUR 0,49 million
TEKES[1] funding received for the electronic and mechanical pipettors, pipettor tips as well as microplates
Net sales EUR 0,12 million
Establishment of Biohit Oy
Electonic pipettor development begins
Establishment of Locus genex Oy, the current diagnostics division of the Biohit Group