Dr. Wilhelm Benend

Dr. Wilhelm Benend (operating primarily as bene-Arzneimittel and bene pharmaChem) is a German pharmaceutical company founded in 1949 and headquartered in Munich. The company is a specialist in the development and production of analgesics and anticoagulants, most notably pioneering the use of paracetamol in Germany under the brand ben-u-ron. A core pillar of the company's business is its proprietary active substance, pentosan polysulfate sodium (PPS), which it manufactures semi-synthetically from beech wood. PPS is the active ingredient in several of the company's key products, including Thrombocid for venous conditions and Elmiron, the first oral treatment approved in Europe for interstitial cystitis. As a family-owned medium-sized enterprise, the company also provides contract manufacturing services and maintains a global presence through partnerships and its subsidiary in Portugal.