Danco Laboratories
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Pharmaceutical distribution |
| Founded | 1995 |
| Headquarters | New York City (Midtown Manhattan) , United States |
| Products | Mifeprex (mifepristone) |
| Owner | Private investors (wealthy individuals and foundations advocating abortion rights) |
Danco Laboratories is a pharmaceutical distributor located in midtown Manhattan, primarily focused on the abortifacient medication mifepristone, which it markets under the brand name Mifeprex. This drug remains the company's only product, although there are plans to broaden its range in the future.
As a privately held company, Danco keeps its list of investors confidential, stating that they consist of wealthy individuals and foundations that advocate for abortion rights.
Outside the United States, the French company Exelgyn distributes mifepristone under the trade name Mifegyne.
History
On May 16, 1994, all U.S. rights for the medical application of mifepristone were transferred by Roussel-Uclaf to the Population Council, which conducted clinical trials between 1994 and 1995. In September 1995, the Population Council licensed mifepristone to Danco and collaborated with Hungarian manufacturer Gedeon Richter for its production. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted conditional approval for RU-486 in 1996, contingent upon resolving manufacturing and technical issues.
In 1997, due to pressure from pro-life advocates, Gedeon Richter ceased manufacturing in the U.S., leading Danco to initiate a breach of contract lawsuit.
On September 28, 2000, Danco Laboratories obtained FDA approval to market mifepristone as Mifeprex.
Danco maintained exclusive rights to sell mifepristone in the U.S. until 2019, when GenBioPro received approval to produce a generic version of the drug.