Our mission is to design and manufacture high-technology systems in the field of pharma, radiopharma and regenerative medicine, with the aim to continuously increase the accuracy and the safety of technicians, researchers, and patients. In fact, “Safety First” is the philosophy which distinguishes and identifies all Comecer policies and actions. Ourvision is to contribute to progress and preserve life through the development of highly innovative technologies and sustainable solutions, according to the latest GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) regulations.

Comecer operates in the field of Radiopharma and Nuclear Medicine through the production of shielding systems and equipment for special applications, both for large industrial groups and for research organisations.

Continuous technological updating and the specific client requirements contribute to ensure operator safety and product sterility.

Since March 2011, Fondo Italiano d’Investimento (Italian Investment Fund), a private equity vehicle founded upon an initiative of the Italian Ministry of Finance, has participated in the Comecer Group with a minority share.

In 2012 Comecer acquired two companies, Veenstra and Vitrae Czech, with the aim to increase its range of products and services in the field of electronic technologies and software programs both in Pharma and Radiopharma sectors.

Then, in November 2015, the fund Principia SGR replaced the Italian Investment Fund, with a stake of 45%: this operation contributed to support the growth and development of Comecer, with the medium-term aim of bringing the company on the Stock Exchange.

On March 1^st, 2019, Comecer began a new journey as part of the multinational Canadian company ATS Automation Tooling Systems Inc. an industry-leading automation solutions provider.

With two production sites at Castel Bolognese (Italy) and Joure (Holland), locations at Philadelphia (USA), Dubai (UAE), Mumbai (India) and Taiwan, Comecer markets its products in over 100 countries worldwide through a direct sales network and thanks to prominent technological partnerships for the joint development of new products with GE Healthcare and IBA. Comecer is the only player on the Italian market exporting 90% of its products abroad, particularly to those few companies in the world which produce cyclotron and PET machines, such as General Electric, IBA and Siemens.

Comecer, whilst operating in a sector characterised by high technological standards, has always implemented large investments in Research & Development in order to equip itself with the essential skills and knowledge to be at the forefront and maintain an advantage over its competitors.

The company strategy is characterised by the constant enhancement of our human and technological resources, and by the optimisation of our organisational and production structure, with the aim of focusing our initiatives in the market sectors in which the Group operates and which offer the best opportunities for development.

Comecer follows the product in all its phases, from its production to its use in production and nuclear medicine facilities, and certifies all its products. All systems are tested and undergo a comprehensive series of validation checks according to the applicable Italian, European and international standards and norms. In particular, a “Safety First” Code of Ethics applies inside Comecer, which is stricter than the current legislation and which places the safety of the person and respect for the environment above any company policy and action. Safety is then translated into the quality of the materials and the processes, which allow Comecer to qualify its products in accordance with the highest standards in the sector.

Amongst the equipment produced by the company, are the cells for the handling of radioactive substances and the automatic systems for the distribution in vials or syringes, including complete lines for the production and packaging of radiopharmaceuticals.

Our Story

Founded in the 1970s as a supplier for the Agenzia Nucleare Italiana (Italian Nuclear Agency), the Group forged a partnership with ENEA and Ansaldo carrying out many research projects. In 1985, with the block on nuclear energy development in Italy, Comecer transferred its technology and know-how to the field of medicine, forging important agreements with technological and research partners and asserting itself in 2000 as a manufacturer of shielded cells for the nuclear medicine industry. From 2005 the Company has witnessed an exponential growth in production due to international business.

Business Areas

Currently, in Italy, the Group consists of three business areas:

Radiopharma: Nuclear Medicine and Radiochemistry
Pharma: Primary Pharmaceutical Production, Fill Finish Manufacturing, R&D, Laboratory and Hospital Pharmacy, Aseptic Food Processing and Aerospace&Semiconductor
ATMP (Advanced Terapy Medicinal Products): dedicated solutions for Regenerative Medicine applications, including the innovative FlexyCult incubation system for Advanced Therapy labs.

Radiopharma: Nuclear Medicine and Radiochemistry Pet-Cyclotron

Comecer designs and manufactures systems and equipment for the safe treatment of radioactive substances used in Nuclear Medicine, ensuring minimal exposure for the operator, total decontamination and unalterability under any working conditions. In particular, Comecer is a leader in the field of radiochemistry, where it creates shielding systems for special applications on behalf of large industrial groups or research organisations. Radiopharmaceuticals are those radioactive substances used to identify a specific part of the body through the emission of radioactive particles detected by gamma chambers and PET tomographs, capable of providing accurate functional morphological images.

In the Nuclear Medicine market, Comecer products can be found in the most advanced and prestigious research centers, universities, hospitals and pharmaceutical companies worldwide.

Pharma Isolation Technology

Another important sector of Comecer production is Isolation Technology, that is all those systems designed to reduce or eliminate the possibility of extreme contamination inside a protected environment. Comecer is specialized in the customized production of isolators, instruments which allow for the highest level of separation and protection during the treatment of toxic and dangerous substances (non-radioactive) for use in pharmaceutical, chemical and food-processing industries.

ATMP – Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products

Comecer lends all its experience and skills to new market requests, making its début in the sector of the handling and treatment of drugs and in particular Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs). Unlike drugs of chemical origin, these products require special processing equipment as well as specific environmental conditions to ensure compliance with sector-specific GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice), in addition to pharmaceutical regulations.

To this effect, Comecer has developed a system based on a technology which exploits ISOLATORS, where all equipment used conforms to the most stringent of standards and all regulations in force, is integrated in the main facility (therefore compliant with Class A certification of the environment in which they operate), can be centrally controlled by a single operator, are modular and flexible, generate space synergies and the ergonomic achievement of performance levels.

Research & Development Center

Thanks to its production flexibility, its continued investment in research, the synergies between the various divisions in the Group and know-how sharing, Comecer always develops highly innovative products for both operator safety and product protection.

The technological push is supported by the Research & Development department, a multifunctional and highly efficient center which employs 8 engineers. The center is involved in many areas:

Mechanics– a team dedicated to the development of highly sophisticated systems for operator and pharmaceutical protection;
Automation– a team dedicated to the development of automatic solutions for the fractioning and dispensing of radiopharmaceuticals;
Software– a team dedicated to the development of processes for the management of radiopharmaceuticals or pharmaceuticals;
Materials– a team dedicated to the research of new materials for the management of shielding and safety;
Chemistry– a team that cooperates with universities in the development of new radioisotopes.

Among the most innovative products/services are:

FLEXYCULT^TM– Incubation System for Advanced Therapy Labs
THEODORICO – a robotic system which enables the preparation of dosages inside syringes and/or vials;
CLIO – an automatic dispensing system for radiopharmaceutical fractioning inside vials and syringes;
ALCEO – a unique automatic system for the synthesis and dispensing of tracers originating from solid targets;
IRIS – an automatic system which directly dispenses and injects the patient with the required radiopharmaceutical dosage;
LETHO – an electronic injector of radioactive tracers used in PET centers;
WORKFLOW MANAGEMENT AND QUALITY CONTROL SOFTWARE – a Management System and Quality Control Software that provides an advanced software environment based on a client-server connection.

These products, along with others from the Comecer range, are GMP and Medical Device validated and certified as required.

Technological Partnerships

Comecer regularly forges technological partnerships with high-level operators for the joint development of new products and is able to develop important technological breakthroughs thanks to its know-how, which consolidate the leadership position in its operating niche where it has no serious competitors.

Comecer - Model BBST COMBO Series - Synthesis and Dispensing Hot Cell Brochure