Speedel

Speedel was a Swiss biopharmaceutical company specializing in the development of small molecule drugs for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. The company's flagship achievement was the development of Aliskiren (Tekturna/Rasilez), the first-in-class oral renin inhibitor for the treatment of hypertension. Speedel operated a 'hub-and-spoke' business model, focusing on late-stage development and partnering with larger pharmaceutical firms for commercialization. Founded in 1998 as a spin-off from Novartis research, the company successfully went public on the SWX Swiss Exchange in 2005. In 2008, Speedel was acquired by Novartis in a deal valued at approximately 907 million CHF. This acquisition allowed Novartis to gain full control over the Aliskiren franchise and Speedel's broader pipeline of renin inhibitors and aldosterone synthase inhibitors.