1921-2021
100 years of botanical excellence
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OUR STORY
1921-2021
100 years of botanical excellence
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Our Story
Nothing is permanent, but everything can be remembered.
Since 1921, in a landscape of conservative nature lovers, we have been the progressive people looking at nature in another way, through science, constantly following the plants.
History moves as fast as Indena’s innovations: 100 years of ideas, inventions, products and patents that, in addition to leaving a permanent mark on the industry of nature, have been woven into the history of Italy.
Embrace our journey through time, to understand how we have always transformed nature into something that may be powerful and useful, and to know more about Indena’s role both for the phytochemical culture and for human health at large.
A Book to celebrate our centennial
A special book for Indena: the story of our long journey in Nature and Science, starting over 100 years ago and always ready to write a new chapter.
Indena, the Genius Behind
Watch the story of Indena, in the voice of founder Biagio Alberto della Beffa.
He was the mind behind the intuition to inextricably bind Nature and Science together, to contribute to humanity’s wellbeing.
Click here to watch the video in Italian.
Celebration and Science
Relive our first Phygital Summit to celebrate our heritage and vision for the next century.
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STREAM START
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CORPORATE VIDEO - "Getting Closer"
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INTRODUCTION - S. Bencivelli
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WELCOME - B. della Beffa
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NATURAL PRODUCTS AS ACTIVE INGREDIENTS - P. Allegrini
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MUSICAL PERFORMANCE, VIOLIN - E. Montagnana
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FROM A TREE OF DEATH TO A TREE OF LIFE - G. Appendino
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TAXANES’ SUCCESS STORY - M. Rozencweig
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INDENA'S CENTENNIAL [PART 1] - D. Giavini
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ABRAXANE® AND NAB® TECHNOLOGY - P. Soon-Shiong
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ABRAXANE® AND NAB® TECHNOLOGY - N. Desai
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MUSICAL PERFORMANCE, HARP - M. Gubri
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ECOLOGY-DRIVEN DRUG DISCOVERY - P. Reddel
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INDENA'S CENTENNIAL [PART 2] - D. Giavini
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DELLA BEFFA PRIZE WINNERS
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MUSICAL PERFORMANCE, VIOLIN & HARP – E. Montagnana, M. Gubri
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MERIVA®, AN INDENA BREAKTHROUGH - P. Kidd
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BOTANICALS’ FOOD SUPPLEMENTS QUALITY - M. Martinelli
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FINAL GREETINGS - L. Giorgetti
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CENTENNIAL VIDEO - "Indena, The Genius Behind"
DIVE INTO OUR JOURNEY THROUGH TIME
Indena has changed along with Nature since 1921, innovating every step of the way. To celebrate our 100 years of history, we created the Phytocast Podcast Series: an original way to share our exciting journey through time with you.
CLICK HERE TO BECOME A PHYTOLISTENER
1920s
A pioneering journey begins
It was 1921 when Carlo Boccaccio Inverni embarked on his pioneering journey into the field of botanical extracts. His intuition was to offer the nascent Italian pharmaceutical industry, until then dependent on foreign supplies, quality extracts derived from medicinal plants. Attention to quality and the quest for excellence have been company’s hallmarks since its establishment. When Biagio Alberto Della Beffa joined as a partner and managing director, the company Inverni Della Beffa was born, which in later years would become Indena.
1930s
A new paradigm in botanicals’ production
The founders indeed opened the way to a totally new approach in dealing with the business of medicinal plants, applying a modern industrial vision. Their aim was to make available to users, at that time mainly pharmacies, not just medicinal plants themselves, which offered insufficient guarantees of efficacy and stability, but instead extracts from these plants titrated in their active ingredients. Dosage was therefore easier and chemical identification safer. Quality, scientific inspiration and rigour, industrial approach: these are the pillars that allow the company to stand out in the Italian market.
1940s
Headquarters and new plant in Milan
Production began in Milan but was transferred to Alzano Lombardo in 1943 to continue during wartime. In 1945, at the end of World War II, production returned to Milan, where a new modern plant was built to meet the needs of a business that not only had never stopped, but had continued to grow. With its scientific approach and continuous focus on quality and excellence, laboratory research and development was stepped up and top sector specialists brought in. Manufacturing output would combine botanical extracts with fine chemicals such as alkaloids, glycosides and amino acids.
1950s
Luigi Della Beffa entered the company
Luigi Della Beffa, son of the founder Biagio Alberto Della Beffa, joined the company. His vision directed the company to further expand its business relations, dealing with major pharmaceutical brands. The company began the manufacture of finished medicinal products, based on its own plant derivatives.
1960s
An innovative plant opened in Settala
The new production site was opened just outside Milan, in Settala. The factory was a model of innovation right from the outset, utilizing the latest machinery and laboratory equipment. Regular refurbishment and further modernization have taken place since then and today the facility is one of the most innovative in the sector for the extraction and processing of botanical extracts, employing the most sophisticated technologies able to process both botanically derived ingredients and specific molecules.
Under the guidance of Luigi Della Beffa new markets are explored and the business is expanded abroad.
1970s
From Inverni Della Beffa to Indena
In 1977, Inverni Della Beffa develops Indena (INdustria DErivati NAturali), the new company that quickly reached the position of leader on international markets which today account for some 90% of the turnover. Pharmaceutical and nutraceuticals were the reference industries, all over the world. Indena, consistent with the spirit of its founders, kept working on quality, research, excellence in process, products and people.
1980s
Further relevance of Research & Development
Indena further consolidated its investments in Research & Development and in the most advanced technologies. Indena made choices that position the company at international level with a scientific approach, the rigour of its processes, and capacity for innovation being the reasons for its excellence. Along the decade, nutraceuticals became more and more important and scientifically recognised. Indena captured market shares with multicomponent plant extracts.
1990s
Indena’s new international branches in the world
The parent company IdB Holding was created in the 1990s and Indena opened international branches in Europe and the USA. Production sites are opened in France and India. There was also the acquisition of the company Bernett srl based in the small Lombard town of Palestro. The third generation of the Della Beffa family, Benedetto and Biagio, both sons of Luigi Della Beffa, joined the company in the late 1990s.
2000s
The invention of Phytosome®
It was a decade of inventions at Indena. In addition to scientific research on medicinal plant derivatives, the company worked for years on the study of both the technology and new formulations to make the extracts increasingly safe and effective. A significant example is the thinking behind Phytosome®, a proprietary system for the formulation of extracts that markedly optimizes their bioavailability and consequently their effectiveness, scientifically documented.
2010s
Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization
Indena’s plant at Settala is a model of innovation from the outset. Today it is one of the most innovative in the sector for the extraction and processing of botanicals. In addition, further technological expansion has made it possible to manufacture complex synthetic molecules. In the first decade of XXI Century, cutting-edge technological innovations were introduced in the Settala plant, for a sophisticated CDMO - Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization activity.
2020s
Indena’s vision for the next 100 years
Indena has consolidated its position as a world leader in the sector of botanical extracts.
Innovation and implementation of the most advanced technologies, research on new products and personalized applications, quality and sustainability: this is Indena's vision for the next 100 years.
The company continues to draw inspiration from the spirit of its founders a century on: their vision, scientific inspiration and rigour and stability remain the ingredients of quality for a major player in the global market.
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