Novozymes Biopharma AB has its origin in the biotechnological development which was started by the Swedish Sugar Company in the 1960s. An example of the result of this development is the business of clinical dextran, which formed the basis for Pharmacia's successful establishment as a pharmaceutical company.
In the early 80s, a joint venture company, AC Biotechnics AB, was formed by AB Cardo (owner of the Swedish Sugar Company) and Alfa Laval AB to continue the biotech activities of both groups. AC Biotechnics had three major business areas: Advanced Biotechnical Processes (ABP), which aimed to develop processes on behalf of customers and for out-licensing; Environmental Processes (Envibio), which developed and sold e.g. anaerobic wastewater treatment systems; and Biotechnical Equipment (Chemap, Switzerland).
In the late 80s, AC Biotechnics split up into its business divisions. The ABP division became ABP International AB and was taken over by SLR (the Swedish Farmers' Association) and Euroventures Nordica. The main development project within ABP International was a recombinant technology for L-threonine, an amino acid used in animal feed. In 1992 this technology was sold to ADM (Arthur Daniel Midlands), USA, a major amino acid producer. At the same time SLR left ABP.
Since 1992 contract manufacturing of biological products has been the main business activity within the company. The facilities and systems were upgraded in 1993 and 1998 to meet the requirements for the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients. The company name was changed to MultiFerm AB in 1995 and the business idea of becoming a qualified partner in fermentation for pharmaceutical companies was formulated. In July 1997, MultiFerm AB became a wholly owned subsidiary of BioGaia AB and the name was changed
to BioGaia Fermentation AB after the introduction of the mother company to the Swedish stock exchange market in 1998. During 2001, the facilities were further upgraded and expanded to meet the demand for protein purification. A new line for large-scale chromatography was taken into operation in spring 2002.
On 1 July 2002, the business activities in BioGaia Fermentation were acquired by Novozymes A/S, and Novozymes Biopharma AB was created.