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Our History

 Track and record of
 success in oncology

NerPharMa is part of NMS Group which boasts a glorious past that began in 1853 when Carlo Erba, a historic Italian pharmaceutical company, was born.
At the end of the 70s the merger with Farmitalia gave life to the largest Italian pharmaceutical company: Farmitalia Carlo Erba that, in a short time, became the largest European oncology research center. The commercialization of the company’s original products began; a new class of chemotherapeuticals: the anthracyclines. Doxorubicin, Daunoblastin, Epirubicin and Idamycin have been the company’s leading products for years and they still represent a cornerstone of the chemotherapy treatment in different types of cancer.
The company operates in other therapeutic areas with important drugs such as Cabergolin and Nicergoline (derivatives of Lysergic Acid).
In 1994 Farmitalia Carlo Erba was sold to the Swedish group Kabi-Pharmacia; it was in this period that the first aromatase inhibitor, Hexamestane, was discovered, developed and commercialized.
In 1998, following the merger with the American Upjohn and the acquisition of Sugen, the Nerviano site completed the development of SUTENT, the first kinase inhibitor developed in-house; hence the site vocation to the kinase platform.
In 2002 Pfizer acquired Pharmacia and two years later the research center was donated to the Congregation of the Children of the Immaculate Conception (CFIC) and was named Nerviano Medical Sciences (NMS).
NerPharMa, which was one of NMS units, became an independent company in 2010; this allowed it to offer its services to third parties too, with immediate success. In recent years, the collaboration with important international pharmaceutical companies has led NerPharMa to develop and manufacture innovative drugs such as Halaven (Eribulin – EISAI) whose recent authorization in China (in 2019) represents an essential step; Mavenclad (Cladribine – Merck), Braftovi (Encorafenib – Array, Pfizer) e Rozlytrek (Entrectinib – Roche), a drug discovered and developed in Nerviano, entered in American and Japanese markets in 2019 and in European market in 2020.

Recently Nerpharma has been focusing on the development of innovative technologies and new drug delivery systems and can boast important collaborations such as the one with the Swedish Xspray whose technology, implemented in Nerviano, was approved by AIFA in March 2020; with a Swiss Biotech company for the production of oncology products in dual chamber bags, a technology approved by EMA in September 2020 and finally the collaboration with a Specialty Pharma based in California – USA for automatic chemotherapy infusion systems.
The company history highlights the ability to combine well-established technical & scientific skills with innovative inspiration aimed at guaranteeing patients and partners the possibility of having the best drug in the pharmaceutical form that best suits the individual needs.

In 2026, NerPharMa entered a new chapter in its history following its acquisition by Benta Group, an international pharmaceutical company committed to expanding its industrial and manufacturing footprint across Europe and the Middle East. The acquisition reinforced NerPharMa’s role as a leading CDMO, integrating its long-standing expertise in oncology, biologics, high-potency manufacturing and advanced pharmaceutical technologies within Benta’s international network. The company continues to invest in innovation, operational excellence and regulatory compliance, strengthening its position as a trusted partner for pharmaceutical companies worldwide while preserving the scientific and manufacturing legacy that has distinguished the Nerviano site for decades.

People/Team
Mission, vision and values
Financials
People/Team
Mission, vision and values
Financials