Oesterreichische Stickstoffwerke

Österreichische Stickstoffwerke (later known as Chemie Linz AG) was a prominent Austrian chemical and pharmaceutical company founded in 1939. Headquartered in Linz, Austria, the company initially focused on nitrogen-based fertilizers before diversifying into plastics, plant protection, and pharmaceuticals. Its pharmaceutical division, which later operated as CL Pharma AG, was highly successful, notably synthesizing and introducing the widely used muscle relaxant succinylcholine (under the brand name Lysthenon) into clinical practice in 1951. The company also developed hexoprenaline (under the brand name Ipradol), a selective beta-2 adrenergic receptor agonist used as a bronchodilator and tocolytic. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the company was restructured and split, with its pharmaceutical business (CL Pharma) being acquired by Hafslund Nycomed (now part of Takeda), while its chemical operations were absorbed by Borealis and DSM.