Meda Pharmaceuticals, 745 Airport Rd, Lakewood, NJ 08701, US

Worthington Biochemical Corporation was established in 1947 in Freehold, N.J., for the express purpose of preparing enzymes for the growing biochemical research community. The company continued to grow for more than 20 years virtually without competition as a manufacturer of high-purity enzymes. It also expanded into the emerging fields of clinical diagnostics and blood analysis kits. By 1976, when it was acquired by Millipore Corporation, Worthington had more than 300 employees, had outgrown two facilities and had sales offices in Europe, Canada and California. In 1986, the founder s son, Charles Worthington, bought the family company back and continued working with enzymes, with an emphasis on extracting enzymes from various animal and plant tissues and microbial sources, such as bacteria, fungi and molds. Worthington's ability to consistently produce enzymes and other proteins in their natural condition is the key to the company's continuing success. Headquartered in Lakewood, N.J., Worthington has fewer than 50 employees and distributes its products to 17 countries.