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History

GroPep was founded in 1988 to commercialise intellectual property relating to a novel insulin-like growth factor (IGF) developed through a scientific collaboration between the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and the University of Adelaide.

1991
GroPep became the commercial arm of the Australian Government funded 'Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Tissue Growth and Repair'. Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), University of Adelaide, Child Health Research Institute (CHRI) and Dairy Research and Development Corporation (DRDC) held equity in both the CRC and GroPep.

1992
GroPep commenced the manufacture of IGFs and related reagents and marketed them worldwide for research purposes. This is the basis of the GroPep Bioreagents business.

1993
GroPep commenced the production of Long®R³IGF-I. This product was marketed as a replacement for insulin in cell culture media.

1997
The Australian Government renewed the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) grant for a further seven years. GroPep and Flinders University joined the original partners of the CRC, and GroPep gained exclusive rights to commercialise intellectual property developed by staff in the CRC.

1998
GroPep established its biopharmaceutical business to develop products through Phase I and II clinical trials.

2000
GroPep relocated staff and operations to a manufacturing, R&D and administration building at Thebarton in suburban Adelaide. GroPep successfully launched its business on the Australian Stock Exchange.

2001
GroPep became a founding shareholder of TGR BioSciences Pty Ltd, which was incorporated in June 2001.

2002
GroPep acquired assets and on-going business of Sydney-based Biotech Australia Pty. Ltd.

2003
Biotech Australia assets were disposed of and the on-going business consolidated to Adelaide.

2004
GroPep commenced a $3 million facility upgrade to support the rapidly growing cell culture business.

2006
GroPep was acquired by the Danish company Novozymes A/S and became Novozymes GroPep Limited and then Novozymes Biopharma AU Limited.

2010
In December 2010 Novozymes consolidated the biopharma business to Europe and the United States. GroPep Bioreagents was acquired through a management buyout and moved to the new facility managed by BioInnovation SA.