Recherche et Industrie Thérapeutiques

Recherche et Industrie Thérapeutiques (R.I.T.) was founded in Genval, Belgium, as a penicillin factory in 1945 by Dr Pieter De Somer, who later became the founder of the Rega Institute for Medical Research and rector of the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Leuven, Belgium). The industrialist Jacques Lannoy provided the funding for the company. The company started its vaccine research and production in the 1950s. The present CEO of the company is Jean Stéphenne.

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In 1968 the company was acquired by SmithKline & French and the name was changed in SmithKline-RIT. In 1989 it became SmithKline Beecham Biologicals, and since 2000 GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals.

History

• 1945: Creation under the name of R.I.T. in Genval
• 1956: Beginning of the activity of production of vaccines (polio vaccine)
• 1958: Acquisition of the site in Rixensart
• 1968: R.I.T. becomes a subsidiary company of SmithKline Corp.
• 1989: Merger between SmithKline and Beecham
• 1992: Acquisition of SSW-Dresden (Germany)
• 1995: Extension of the site of Rixensart towards two new sites in Belgium:
  • Wavre for the production
  • Gembloux for the scaling-up
• 1995: Agreement on a joint-venture in China
• 1997: Agreement on a joint-venture in Russia
• 1998: Collaboration agreement with Egypt
• 1999: Agreement on a partnership with Brazil
• 2000: Merger between Glaxo and SmithKline to GlaxoSmithKline

See also

• MMR vaccine
• Rega Institute for Medical Research

Source

• GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals (history)