The story of galenIQ™ and how BENEO entered the pharmaceutical market
Summary
Isomalt’s success in the food industry marked the beginning of a new strategic move for BENEO: entering the pharmaceutical market. In confectionery, Isomalt made sugar-free products possible and went on to become the world’s leading sugar replacer in hard-boiled candies. However, it soon became clear that its unique properties had potential far beyond food applications. This sparked interest in the pharmaceutical industry and raised a key question: could Isomalt also be used in medicines?
Today, the galenIQ™ brand stands for an Isomalt grade produced specifically for pharmaceutical use. Bodo Fritzsching, Executive Director Business Growth Functional Carbohydrates at BENEO, and Dr Maj Britt Cepok, Head of Pharma, share how a simple idea gradually developed into an independent business field.
In this article, we explore:
- How Isomalt’s success in confectionery opened the door to pharmaceutical applications
- Why BENEO developed a dedicated pharmaceutical excipient based on Isomalt
- What makes galenIQ™ different from food-grade Isomalt
- How BENEO built the quality, regulatory and production structures required for pharma
- Why trust, science and persistence are essential in the pharmaceutical market
- Which trends are shaping the future of galenIQ™ applications
From food market success to expansion into pharma
After establishing itself in the food market globally, BENEO expanded its portfolio in 1999 with the launch of the so-called “Isomalt Family”. This range included different Isomalt grades designed to meet various technological requirements for specific applications.
One of these, Isomalt DC, proved particularly suitable for tableting powder blends. This marked the beginning of the galenIQ™ story.
The initial ideas came directly from the market. Customers who were already using Isomalt in medicated lozenges requested a grade tailored specifically to pharmaceutical applications. The value of properties such as chemical stability and very low moisture absorption had been proven in food products, so why not refine them further for use in medicines?
At the same time, market feedback revealed a growing demand for alternatives to well-established excipients such as lactose or the polyol mannitol. This prompted the development of a dedicated product for the pharmaceutical industry, positioning BENEO as a supplier of pharmaceutical excipients.
Excipients play an important role in medicines alongside the active ingredients. They support manufacturing processes, ensure stability and enable controlled drug release, without having any pharmacological effect themselves.
In 2004, the decision was made. BENEO, which was still operating under the name Palatinit at the time, invested in building its own product line for the pharmaceutical market.
More than a new label: What makes galenIQ™ different
At the molecular level, galenIQ™ and Isomalt share the same structure. However, the key difference lies in quality and manufacturing processes.
While food ingredients already have to meet high quality standards, the pharmaceutical industry imposes far stricter requirements. Production, documentation and quality control adhere to far more rigorous rules to ensure consistent and reliable quality at all times.
What does the name galenIQ™ stand for?
The name galenIQ™ refers to pharmaceutical, or galenic, development — the science of developing and manufacturing medicines — and to Claudius Galenus, a renowned physician and scholar of antiquity who is considered the founder of pharmaceutical science.
The brand name therefore symbolises “galenic Isomalt quality”. The “IQ” also points to the excipient’s versatile and intelligent properties.
As a pharmaceutical excipient, galenIQ™ primarily helps to turn active pharmaceutical ingredients into suitable dosage forms such as tablets or powders. It compresses well, ensures uniform blends with active substances and can also offer sensory benefits, depending on the application.
This last aspect has become increasingly important over time. While BENEO initially marketed galenIQ™ as a multifunctional excipient, its pleasant sweet taste soon became particularly valued by many manufacturers.
Another key advantage is that it is plant-based: galenIQ™ is derived from beet sugar, providing an alternative to excipients of animal origin, such as lactose.
The main properties of galenIQ™
- It is based on Isomalt and produced specifically for pharmaceutical use.
- It offers high chemical stability and very low moisture absorption.
- It supports good compressibility and uniform blending with active pharmaceutical ingredients.
- It can provide sensory benefits, including a pleasant sweet taste.
- It is plant-based and derived from beet sugar.
- It offers an alternative to excipients of animal origin, such as lactose.
Investing in quality and structure
Building this new business area required substantial investment. At the production site in Offstein, BENEO adapted its manufacturing processes to meet pharmaceutical standards. At the same time, new structures were established for quality assurance, regulatory compliance and documentation.
The company also invested in specialised production technologies, including agglomeration. This process blends fine particles to form larger, more stable structures, creating different physical variants of the base material. Depending on the application, these variants offer advantages such as good flowability or excellent compressibility. These functional properties are becoming increasingly important in advanced manufacturing approaches such as twin-screw granulation and continuous processing.
In parallel, BENEO built up an international network of sales partners that increasingly focused on the specific needs of the pharmaceutical industry.
A new player in the pharmaceutical market
BENEO entered the pharmaceutical market with a small team but a clearly global approach. In late 2005, galenIQ™ made its first major international appearance at CPhI Worldwide, one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical trade shows. The team then presented galenIQ™ at industry events in Europe, the United States and India, actively engaging with manufacturers and formulation developers. Industry events such as CPhI continue to play an important role for BENEO today, as highlighted in our recent reflections on CPhI 2024 in Milan.
From the beginning, one thing was clear: trust is essential in the pharmaceutical market. Newcomers must earn their credibility over many years.
That takes more than a regular presence at trade fairs. It also requires scientific publications and strong academic networks. An early collaboration between the pharma team and Semmelweis University in Budapest laid the foundation for an international academic partner network that continues to grow today. This collaborative approach continues today through BENEO’s international sales partner and scientific network, recently highlighted during the galenIQ™ partner meeting in Budapest.
The industry’s response was marked by curiosity. At the same time, a new excipient was naturally met with a certain degree of caution. After all, it had been a long time since a completely new excipient had entered the market. But patience and persistence paid off. Today, galenIQ™ celebrates 20 years on the market and is a well-established part of the BENEO portfolio.
Trends and new ways of communicating
As with any other industry, technological trends influence product development in the pharmaceutical sector. One such trend is the growing importance of sachets. These small, single-dose powder packs can be consumed directly.
Properties such as good flowability and a pleasant taste are especially valuable in this context, which is why galenIQ™ is often used in these applications.
Communication within the industry has also evolved. As well as traditional trade fairs and scientific publications, BENEO now uses digital channels such as podcasts and LinkedIn newsletters to reach the global pharmaceutical community.
Conclusion: courage, persistence and clear positioning
The story of galenIQ™ demonstrates how a successful food ingredient can evolve into an independent business in the pharmaceutical industry. It stands for the courage to enter new markets, the commitment to investing in quality and expertise, and a clearly defined, long-term strategic vision.
What began with Isomalt’s proven functionality in food applications has developed into a dedicated pharmaceutical excipient business. Today, galenIQ™ shows how innovation can grow from listening closely to the market, recognising new opportunities and building the structures needed to succeed in a highly regulated industry.
Key takeaways
galenIQ™ originated from BENEO’s expertise with Isomalt and its successful use in food and confectionery applications.
The first ideas came from customers who were already using Isomalt in medicated lozenges and saw potential for pharmaceutical use.
galenIQ™ and Isomalt share the same molecular structure, but galenIQ™ is produced according to the stricter quality and documentation requirements of the pharmaceutical industry.
BENEO invested in dedicated production processes, quality assurance, regulatory structures and specialised technologies to enter the pharmaceutical market.
Trust, scientific collaboration and long-term commitment were essential for establishing galenIQ™ as a new excipient.
Today, galenIQ™ is a well-established part of the BENEO portfolio and supports applications such as tablets, powders and sachets.