Celltech: from biotechnology to pharmaceuticals

Abstract

Celltech is the UK’s longest established biotechnology company. Starting off by the utilisation of its fermentation technology to produce antibodies, the Company now owns patents on a number of production processes. Recently, the fermentation division has been sold and the core business has become drug discovery based on metalloprotease and phosphodiesterase (PDE) targets. This strategy contrasts with similar companies in the US that have remained faithful to their biotech origins.