WHY work with Hermes pharma?
Over 50% of people experience difficulties swallowing conventional tablets and capsules – so why bring a product to market that half your customers cannot take or simply will not like? We believe that oral pharmaceuticals and food/dietary supplements should be both convenient and easy to swallow so people take them correctly. Not only is this better for the individual, but improved compliance results in more successful treatments, and reduces overall healthcare costs.
CDMO & full-service provider
HERMES PHARMA is the leading expert in user-friendly dosage forms. We are a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) which supports you across the entire pharmaceutical value chain – as a reliable and experienced partner.
Unrivalled quality
Quality is critical for the safety and efficacy of all pharmaceutical products; we work under Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) conditions and consider quality from the early stages of drug design right through to delivery of finished products.
Strong history
HERMES PHARMA is a sister company of a leading OTC firm that manages a rich portfolio of own brands. This heritage combined with over 40 years’ experience in designing user-friendly dosage forms means we understand your challenges.
That is why ten of the top 20 global pharmaceutical companies, and the leading four generics companies, choose to work with us.
CDMO & Full-service provider
Put the HERMES PHARMA experts on your team. We have a long history of developing and manufacturing high-quality pharmaceuticals and supplements. We specialize in user-friendly oral dosage forms such as lozenges, orally disintegrating granules, instant drinks, chewable and effervescent tablets.
We work as your trusted partner, offering expert advice and customized services at every point along the pharmaceutical value chain, including:
A flexible approach, customized to meet your requirements
Depending on the needs of your project, we can work with you in a number of ways. This could involve: co-developing new products from initial idea to final product; licensing market-ready products and dossiers based on our rich portfolio of medicinal products, food/dietary supplements and medical devices; or outsourcing manufacturing to our facilities. Access the exact service you require, precisely when you need it.
Our continued investment in new technologies, processes, people and skills gives our customers access to innovative new dosage forms and expertise, as well as high-quality products that extend lifecycles and strengthen brands – at an excellent price-performance ratio.
QUALITY-FIRST approach
Quality is essential throughout the pharmaceutical industry. Patients and consumers rely on it as it guarantees the efficacy and safety of the products bought or prescribed. At HERMES PHARMA, we understand that quality underpins the trust our customers have in us and also their relationships with patients and consumers. Quality forms the basis of a positive, continuous partnership and commercial success. We always strive to improve the quality of our products and services by putting the customer and its products first.
While our quality-assurance system provides the framework for delivering consistently high-quality medicinal products and food/dietary supplements, it’s the mind-set of our people that truly distinguishes the quality of HERMES PHARMA’s products and services. This enables us to make better products more efficiently, and offers our customers the opportunity to develop a reputation for high-quality products in their markets. As CDMO, we been developing and manufacturing high-quality drugs and supplements for more than 40 years.
Our QbD/PAT process
Quality by Design (QbD) brings quality to the fore from the very beginning of the product development and manufacturing process, improving efficiency as a result. Combined with Process Analytical Technology (PAT), QbD means stepping away from traditional quality testing methods. Instead, QbD employs systematic, data-driven strategies to deliver quality outcomes, minimize risk and avoid unnecessary downstream issues.
Our team at HERMES PHARMA has embraced QbD and PAT as these approaches result in better processes and products, lower manufacturing and regulatory costs, as well as faster time-to-market.
Specialist manufacturing services
We are experienced in manufacturing user-friendly oral dosage forms and have the specialist knowledge, skills, processes, technology, equipment and facilities required for doing so. We work according to
- GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) for drugs and medicinal products,
- international standards for food safety, such as HACCP (Hazard Analysis
Critical Control Point) and US-CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) - and ISO 13485 for medical devices.
sustainability & ESG
For us, sustainability is more than a short-term initiative; it is a long-term responsibility. We recognize that the pharmaceutical industry has a duty to help ensure a sustainable, livable future. That’s why, in every decision we make, we consider the long-term impact of our actions on society and the environment. Driven by this perspective, we built our Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy on four key pillars:
People
We place people at the heart of our organization. Through continuous education programs, strong leadership, and robust Health, Safety, Environment, and Quality (HSEQ) measures across all our locations, we create a workplace that motivates and empowers employees to contribute to company growth.
Environment
We support the European Green Deal, with decarbonization being one of our key strategic goals. By using renewable energy across all our locations and monitoring our CO2 production each year, we take measures to actively reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. Alongside this, we maintain a commitment to improve the rate of resource productivity and creating more sustainable products.
Procurement
As a member of the United Nations Global Compact, we uphold strict sustainability, human rights, occupational safety, and anti-corruption standards across our value chain. These duties are communicated to suppliers and employees through our code of conduct, and we require our suppliers to complete a self-assessment questionnaire to ensure they align with our values. By maintaining ethical and transparent practices, we help our customers uphold their own ESG commitments.
Governance
Being part of the Johannes Burges Family Foundation ensures our economic independence, shielding us from shareholder pressures, short-term profit-taking, hostile takeovers, and asset stripping. For our customers, this means long-term business continuity, investment protection, and a stable partnership they can rely on.
HISTORY OF EXCELLENCE in pharmaceutical development
HERMES PHARMA is sister company of HERMES Arzneimittel, which has a rich portfolio of successful OTC brands and a history of more than a hundred years in pharmaceutical excellence. This heritage makes HERMES PHARMA a reliable and experienced partner who truly understands the challenges of its customers.
1907
Franz Gradinger founds the company in Munich, Germany. He specializes in the manufacture of herbal teas and plant-based pharmaceuticals. In 1934, his son-in-law Albert Burges takes over operations of the company.
1960
HERMES launches its first effervescent vitamin tablet.
1968
Johannes Burges becomes managing director. He heads the family-owned company until end of 2018.
1969
TOPO single pot vacuum granulation technology becomes implemented for the commercial production of effervescent tablets.
1982
Our Austrian plant starts developing and manufacturing for third-parties. (In Germany, third-party manufacturing begins in 1989).
1986
The same production site launches a new dosage form – the instant drink. The first product consisted of calcium and vitamin D3.
1989
HERMES develops its first acetylcysteine effervescent tablet and starts production of this mucolytic for its third-party customers.
1994
The new manufacturing plant in Wolfratshausen, Germany starts its operations.
2001
HERMES officially founds the new business unit HERMES PHARMA to synchronize all its third-party business activities. Dr. Andreas Schrepfer becomes Managing Director and successfully leads it into a new era.
2003
HERMES acquires the third-party licensing and manufacturing business from Viatris Pharma, Austria.
2004
HERMES introduces its first ODG (orally disintegrating granules) – a novel dosage form that can be applied directly into the mouth.
2009
The new manufacturing plant in Wolfsberg, Austria starts its operations.
2012
HERMES PHARMA starts production based on the novel ‘two-component dosing system’ of a new macrogol laxative product line, developed for its third-party customers.
2013
The launch of hot melt coating (HMC), a novel technology to mask the unpleasant taste inherent with many APIs, again demonstrates HERMES PHARMA’s dedication to innovation.
2018
Sole proprietor and director Johannes Burges transfers his company shares to the Johannes Burges Family Foundation.
2021
With the foundation of HERMES PHARMA GmbH, the previous HERMES PHARMA division becomes an independent company within the Johannes Burges Family Foundation.
Today
HERMES PHARMA is the leading expert in user-friendly dosage forms. More than 80 customers in 45 countries across the world – including ten of the top 20 global pharmaceutical companies and the world’s four largest generic companies – source products from us.
Hermes Pharma Executive Team
Mutually beneficial, long-term partnerships and close collaboration drive our and our customers’ success. As a part of the Johannes Burges Family Foundation, HERMES PHARMA is economically independent. Customers can therefore expect the best service and innovation, consistently, unhindered by shareholder expectations or short-term profit-taking motives. And, because we’re protected against hostile takeovers and asset stripping, our customers are guaranteed business continuity and investment protection. The result is a secure, enduring relationship that fuels customer success.
Dr. Jürgen Ott
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Dr. Jürgen Ott is a strategic and transformational leader with more than 23 years of experience in sales, marketing and general management – in multinational and family-owned life sciences and healthcare companies. He holds a Ph.D. in chemistry and has a proven track record in implementing change processes as well as delivering strong and sustainable business results in the OTC, Rx, MedTec and food supplement industries.
Dr. Ott joined HERMES PHARMA in April 2023.
Dr. Andreas Ulrich
Managing Director
Dr. Ulrich holds a Ph.D. in chemistry and started his career in the pharmaceutical industry in 2002. He joined HERMES PHARMA in 2010 as Head of Production. Later, he became Site Manager of our plant in Wolfsberg, Austria.
At the beginning of 2023, Dr. Ulrich was appointed Managing Director assuming full responsibility for the management and control of all our production sites.
David Brauchart
Managing Director HERMES PHARMA Austria
After completing his studies in biology with a focus on genetics, David Brauchart began his professional career in biopharmaceuticals and radioactive drug manufacturing. He quickly advanced to leadership positions in these fields. In 2012, he joined HERMES PHARMA Austria as Production Manager.
In August 2022, David Brauchart was entrusted with the management of the site, and appointed Managing Director of HERMES PHARMA Austria in January of the following year.
Dr. Markus Elfinger
Senior Director Business Development, Account Management & Marketing
Dr. Elfinger graduated as a pharmacist and holds a Ph.D. in pharmaceutical technology. He has been with HERMES PHARMA for more than 10 years, progressing through roles of increasing responsibility in business development and alliance management. Earlier in his career, he worked for several years in the global development and transfer of pharmaceutical products.
Dr. Elfinger became Senior Director Business Development, Account Management & Marketing in April 2022.
Dr. David Kuch
Senior Director Development & Drug Regulatory Affairs
Dr. David Kuch holds a Ph.D. in chemistry. After seven years in the active pharmaceutical ingredient industry, he joined HERMES PHARMA in 2015. Dr. Kuch later became head of the drug regulatory affairs team, which focuses on finished drug products, food supplements and medical devices.
In October 2021, he was promoted to take on additional responsibility as Senior Director of the development department, which innovates new product concepts and technologies.