Schering AG

1871 - factory converted into a public limited company Chemische Fabrik auf Actien;

1876 - Schering & Glatz, Inc. New York and Bloomfield, New Jersey, United States, founded as first overseas affiliate;

1880 - Charlottenburg branch opened

1888 - chemist Albrecht Schmidt leading work in the first scientific laboratory

1890 - Piperazin, first pharmaceutical product marketed

1901 - first synthetic camphor patented by Schering

1921 - medical-science department established.

1923 - research into sex hormones and cancer begins

1924 - research partnership with Eugen Steinach and his assistant Walter Hohlweg intensified to develop a hormone cycle preparation

1927 - Berlin Chemische Fabrik C.A.F. Kahlbaum GmbH and the Chemische Fabrik auf Actien (formerly E. Schering) amalgamated to form Schering-Kahlbaum AG

1928 - Progynon, first hormone preparation introduced

1929 - Schering Corporation founded in New York, United States, the first US subsidiary

1932 - semi-synthetic Oestradiol and Proluton already on market; Proviron, first androgen preparation for the treatment of male hormone-related conditions marketed.

1937 - Kokswerke and Chemische Fabriken AG acquire the entire capital of their subsidiary Schering-Kahlbaum AG and the newly created company changes its name to Schering AG

1938 - Hans Herloff Inhoffen and W. Hohlweg develop ethinylestradiol an effective oral estrogen and still a constituent of oral contraceptives (the pill) in 2010.

1943 - 22/23 November - administration building and main stores of the Berlin, Wedding plant destroyed during WW2 air raid

1945 - All Schering works dismantled after WW2. All production and distribution companies throughout the world liquidated, expropriated or confiscated and trademarks and patents lost. The name Schering could no longer be used in many large markets.

1950 - trademark rights not regained. new trademarks created such as Berlimed.

1953 - Biligrafin and Urografin, new X-ray contrast media introduced

1954 - Proluton-Depot, a steroid for progestational therapy introduced

1956 - Progynon-Depot, hormone preparations for estrogen therapy introduced; Testoviron-Depot for androgen therapy introduced.

1957 - Charlottenburg works set up a microbiological department for the manufacture of corticoids

1961 - Anovlar®, Schering's first oral contraceptive, introduced to Germany and Australia and first preparation for hormonal contraception to be offered in Europe

1964 - Anovlar® 21 offered in a calendar pack blister pack invented by Schering

1973 - Microgynon® low-dosed contraceptive introduced (mini-pill); Androcur® introduced by Schering research;

1974 - Nihon Schering K.K., Osaka becomes subsidiary of Schering AG

1978 - Diane®, preparation based on cyproterone acetate introduced.

1979 - Triquilar®, a three phase preparation, introduced - a well-tolerated, low-dose oral contraceptive better adapted physiologically to the woman's cycle; Berlex Laboratories Inc., Cedar Knolls, New Jersey, United States founded.

1987 - Magnevist®, marketed in Germany, Japan and United States as a contrast medium for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

1988 - Schering agrees with the US American company Schering-Plough Corporation so that the Schering name can be used everywhere in the world except United States and Canada.

1990 - Glucobay®/Precose® developed as new treatment for diabetes

1993 - Betaseron® for treatment of multiple sclerosis, licensed in the United States

1996 - Schering acquires Leiras Group

1997 - Mirena®, intrauterine system of hormonal contraception introduced

2000 - Schering acquires Mitsui Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Japan

2003 - Nihon Schering Research Center, opens in Kobe, Japan

2006 - Schering AG officially renamed Bayer Schering Pharma AG after a takeover by Bayer.

Specialisations include ontology and gynaecological products, especially contraceptive pills.