Swift & Co

Swift & Co, historically a global leader in the meatpacking industry, played a foundational role in the early life sciences and pharmaceutical sectors through its pioneering work in organotherapeutics. By utilizing animal by-products, the company became a primary supplier of raw materials for the isolation of life-saving treatments, most notably providing the pig pancreases used by Eli Lilly and the University of Toronto to produce the first commercial insulin in the 1920s. Beyond insulin, the company's pharmaceutical division manufactured various glandular extracts, enzymes like pepsin, and surgical sutures. While the company's core business was food processing, its vertical integration and scientific innovation were critical to the birth of the modern biologics industry. Today, the legacy of Swift & Co continues under the ownership of JBS S.A., though its independent pharmaceutical operations have long since been absorbed or discontinued.