History
Our Legacy of Excellence
From its origins as a small laboratory in Leskovac in 1952, Frontier Zdravlje has steadily grown into a company with a global presence, serving over 40 markets. Over the decades, we’ve focused on building strong partnerships, advancing innovation, and maintaining our commitment to high-quality pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Watch the video to explore how Frontier Zdravlje has evolved over the years and continues to shape the future of healthcare.
Experience Our Journey
With decades of expertise, strong partnerships, and a commitment to excellence, we continue to expand our impact.
Key milestones include:
1952 – 1953
Fourteen visionaries from Leskovac founded the Chemical Laboratory, specializing in magistral pharmaceutical products. In December 1953, Master of Pharmacy Bozidar Djordjevic-Kukar established ZDRAVLJE – Leskovac, laying the foundation for a lasting pharmaceutical legacy.
1954 – 1955
Zdravlje expanded its reach by partnering with global pharmaceutical leaders CH Boehringer Ingelheim and PFIZER, paving the way for future growth and innovation.
1956 – 1960
Zdravlje made significant strides, building a new factory with European-standard infrastructure, launching its own school for technicians, and offering scholarships to students across various faculties.
1961 – 1965
The company moves to its new facilities in the town’s industrial zone, its current location. At the same time, Zdravlje expands its international partnerships, forming expert teams to kickstart research and development.
1971 - 1980
During this period, Zdravlje reaches full maturity, solidifying its reputation as a trusted brand. With over 180 registered products in 220 forms, the company produces a wide range, primarily from the portfolios of Boehringer, Pfizer, Lederle, Clin Mydi, Wellcome, Madaus, and Grünenthal. By the late 1970s, Zdravlje expands into over 40 countries, with exports accounting for three-quarters of its gross income, marking a significant milestone in its global reach.
1981 – 1985
Zdravlje introduces its Medical Devices Program and partners with the American firm Travenol to produce dialysis filters, sets, and solutions. During this period, Zdravlje also expands in South Serbia, building a mini-facility for medicinal disposable syringes, a combined facility for processing agricultural products, herbs, and forest fruits, and a facility for aluminum tubes and aerosol doses.
2003 – 2008
In 2003, Zdravlje is acquired by Pharmaco Group from Iceland, which rebrands as Actavis in May 2004. This sparks major investments in production, facility upgrades, and modern IT and quality control systems. By 2005, the first phase of the Solid Oral Dosage (OSD) Facility refurbishment begins, preparing Zdravlje for Europe’s most demanding markets.
In 2007, the Microbiology Lab refurbishment meets GLP standards, and the OSD facility refurbishment continues, bringing investments to over EUR 30 million. Zdravlje also earns ISO 9001:2001 and OHSAS 18001 certifications.
By 2008, the Actavis Group invests over EUR 31 million in Zdravlje’s modernization, completing the OSD facility refurbishment, now the best in the Actavis Group across Europe.
2009
Zdravlje receives the EU GMP Certificate from the Danish Medicines Agency, enabling the launch of its oral hypoglycemics in Denmark and gaining approval for the French market.
Since privatization, production has grown from 17.5 million packs in 2003 to over 30 million in 2009, with exports to Europe, Asia, and Africa now accounting for over 30% of total production.
2013 - 2015
In 2013, Zdravlje opens a new EU GMP-compliant facility for Parkinson’s disease treatment, marking its 60th anniversary with the title of Vice-Champion among Actavis sites worldwide.
By 2014, Zdravlje had created over 100 new jobs to meet rising product demand, installed advanced equipment, and won the prestigious ‘Plant of the Year’ award for the best performance in its class within the global Actavis group.
In 2015, with the integration of Actavis and Allergan, Zdravlje continues under the Actavis brand. During a four-day inspection, its EU GMP Certificate is reaffirmed.
2016 – 2020
In 2016, Zdravlje, along with Actavis Generics, becomes part of Teva Pharmaceuticals, the world’s leading generic pharmaceutical company. This marks a new chapter for Zdravlje under the Teva umbrella.
2021 – 2022
In 2021, Zdravlje officially joins the Frontier Baystone Group, a UK-based specialty pharma company, marking a new chapter in its journey.
In 2022, Frontier Zdravlje accelerates its growth, thriving in the CDMO business with new agreements and tech transfers with multinational companies. The company also makes a significant impact by launching a novel Covid-19 treatment in markets like Poland and forming a historic partnership with the Medicines Patent Pool to develop the authorized generic version of Paxlovid. This growth results in over 70 new sustainable jobs in Frontier Zdravlje’s first year of independent operation.
2023
Frontier Zdravlje celebrated 70 years of innovation, growth, and dedication to patient care with special events honoring its legacy. The milestone year also saw the launch of Vioplex-T, a topical antibacterial medicine designed to prevent infections in superficial skin wounds, reinforcing Frontier Frontier Zdravlje’s commitment to better healthcare.
2024
Frontier Zdravlje kicks off 2024 with a significant achievement, successfully passing the EU-GMP re-inspection, reinforcing its commitment to the highest quality standards. The company also makes its mark in the Canadian market and completes a major capital expenditure plan, upgrading production with cutting-edge equipment like a Roller Compactor, Coater, and Printer. With the regulatory approvals of Dimethyl Fumarate and Pazopanib, Zdravlje’s product portfolio gains even more strength and diversity.
2025
As we look ahead to 2025, Frontier Zdravlje is set to expand further with a promising entry into the Malaysian market, taking another bold step toward global growth, while completing important investment projects (solar energy and gas) in line with our environmental responsibility.
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