Dow-Lepetit

Dow-Lepetit was a major pharmaceutical entity formed through the acquisition of the Italian pharmaceutical company Gruppo Lepetit by The Dow Chemical Company in the 1960s. The company was internationally renowned for its research and development in the field of antibiotics, most notably for the discovery of rifampicin, which became a foundational treatment for tuberculosis. Based in Milan, Italy, Dow-Lepetit operated significant research and manufacturing facilities that specialized in fermentation and chemical synthesis. In 1989, Dow merged its pharmaceutical interests, including Dow-Lepetit, with Marion Laboratories to form Marion Merrell Dow. Following a series of subsequent mergers, the company's legacy and product portfolio were eventually integrated into Sanofi.