Novel Therapies for Unmet Medical Needs

Since its founding in 1976, the company's research organization has focused its drug discovery efforts on therapies that would fill unmet needs, and Genentech has brought multiple novel biotherapeutics to market in the areas of oncology, immunology, ophthalmology, and metabolism.

As part of the merger with Roche in March 2009, Genentech became the headquarters for all Roche pharmaceutical operations in the United States, and products that were previously marketed by Roche are now being marketed by Genentech in the United States. Accordingly, starting in 2009, the timeline below includes approvals by the combined company in the United States. For more information about Roche medicine approvals prior to 2009, view Roche's company timeline.

^{In 1985, Genentech received FDA approval to market its first medicine, Protropin — the first recombinant pharmaceutical medicine to be manufactured and marketed by a biotechnology company. Manufacturing was discontinued in 2002.
On December 31, 2024, Genentech will discontinue all Nutropin AQ®️ (somatropin) NuSpin®️ formulations in the United States. The decision to discontinue Nutropin was made after a thorough assessment by Genentech and is based on a combination of business considerations and the availability of alternative growth hormone options for patients. This action is unrelated to the current supply shortage or any product quality, safety, or efficacy issues. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been notified.}

In 1998 we licensed U.S. marketing and development rights to interferon gamma, including Actimmune, to Connetics Corporation. Thereafter, Connetics sublicensed, then later assigned, all of its rights to InterMune Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Protropin manufacturing was discontinued at the end of 2002. Nutropin Depot commercialization was discontinued in June 2004.

On April 8, 2009, Genentech announced a phased voluntary withdrawal of the psoriasis drug Raptiva from the U.S. market.