Genzyme Corporation

Genzyme Corporation operates as a biotechnology company in the United States, European Union, Latin America, and Asia Pacific. It operates through five segments: Renal, Therapeutics, Transplant, Biosurgery, and Genetics. The Renal segment develops, manufactures, and distributes products that treat patients suffering from renal diseases, including chronic renal failure. This segment offers Renagel, a phosphate binder for the control of serum phosphorus in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) on hemodialysis; and Hectorol vitamin D2 pro-hormone products for the treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism in patients with stages 3 and 4 CKD, and in patients with stage 5 CKD on dialysis. The Therapeutics segment provides Cerezyme/Ceredase, an enzyme replacement therapy for the treatment of Gaucher disease; Fabrazyme, a recombinant form of the human enzyme alpha-galactosidase for the treatment of Fabry disease; Thyrogen, an adjunctive diagnostic agent used in the follow-up of patients with thyroid cancer; Myozyme therapy for Pompe disease; and Aldurazyme, a recombinant form of the human enzyme alpha-L-iduronidase to treat mucopolysaccharidosis I. The Transplant segment offers Thymoglobulin, a polyclonal antibody that suppresses immune cells responsible for acute organ rejection in transplant patients; and Lymphoglobuline, a polyclonal antibody for the treatment of aplastic anemia, and for the prevention and treatment of graft rejection. The Biosurgery segment markets Synvisc, a biomaterial used to treat the pain associated with osteoarthritis of the knee; and Sepra products for preventing adhesions following various surgical procedures in the body. The Genetics segment provides reproductive testing services, diagnostic services for oncology, and genetic counseling services. Genzyme has a collaborative research agreement with Fovea Pharmaceuticals, SA. The company was founded in 1981 and is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts.