{"id":713,"date":"2024-05-22T07:42:41","date_gmt":"2024-05-22T07:42:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fundacioesteve.mortensen.cat\/antoni-esteve-subirana\/"},"modified":"2026-04-07T14:47:19","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T14:47:19","slug":"antoni-esteve-subirana","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/fundacioesteve.mortensen.cat\/en\/antoni-esteve-subirana\/","title":{"rendered":"Dr. Antoni Esteve i Subirana"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Dr. Antoni Esteve i Subirana<\/h1>\n\n <\/section>\n \n \n\n
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Antoni Esteve i Subirana (1902-1979): a legacy marked by passion for his profession and love for Catalonia.<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
\n \n \n \n \"Dr\n <\/picture>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n\n
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\n 1902<\/a>\n 1924<\/a>\n 1928<\/a>\n 1929<\/a>\n 1931<\/a>\n 1934<\/a>\n 1936<\/a>\n 1936
1939<\/a>\n 1938<\/a>\n 1939<\/a>\n 1942<\/a>\n 1948<\/a>\n 1952<\/a>\n 1955<\/a>\n 1965<\/a>\n 1979<\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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\n 1902<\/a>\n 1924<\/a>\n 1928<\/a>\n 1929<\/a>\n 1931<\/a>\n 1934<\/a>\n 1936<\/a>\n 1936
1939<\/a>\n 1938<\/a>\n 1939<\/a>\n 1942<\/a>\n 1948<\/a>\n 1952<\/a>\n 1955<\/a>\n 1965<\/a>\n 1979<\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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\n 1902\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Origins<\/h2>\n

Born on December 23 in his family\u2019s home on Urgell Street in Manresa, Antoni Esteve i Subirana was the fifth in a line of apothecaries that started in 1787 when Tom\u00e0s Esteve i Gavanyach took the reins at the pharmacy in Manresa\u2019s Hospital de Sant Andreu.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \"Farmacia\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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\n 1924\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Degree in Pharmacy<\/h2>\n

He graduated from the University of Barcelona, receiving the prize for outstanding achievement. A few years later, in 1932, he obtained his PhD in Pharmacy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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\n 1928\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Paquita Soler i Casurellas, a fundamental pillar<\/h2>\n

He married Paquita Soler i Casurellas.<\/p>\n

Her perseverance and work ethic were essential to the company\u2019s progress and to making the dream of creating a chemical\u2013pharmaceutical laboratory a reality.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \"Dr\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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\n 1929\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Driving entrepreneurship and research<\/h2>\n

He assumes control of the family pharmacy, located in Manresa\u2019s Pla\u00e7a de l\u2019Om. His pioneering spirit and strong vocation for research and innovation lead him to set up a small laboratory for clinical analyses in the second floor of the establishment.<\/p>\n

As a result of his research, he obtained vitamin D by irradiation for the first time in Spain: Esterosol. Esterosol combined two vitamins\u2014C and D\u2014which, despite being chemically incompatible, were successfully formulated together in a product that became popular among children and adults.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \"Cesterol\n \"Esterosol01\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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\n 1931\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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A new laboratory in Manresa<\/h2>\n

Dr. Antoni Esteve set up a new laboratory on the upper floor of his house in Urgell Street in Manresa to develop chemical and pharmaceutical products. Together with the laboratory above the pharmacy,\u00a0these became the two seeds of what would later be known as Dr. Esteve Laboratories<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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\n 1934\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Launch of Neo-Spirol<\/h2>\n

After years of research, the company launched Neo-Spirol\u2014the first antisyphilitic medication marketed in Spain.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \"Neo\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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\n 1936\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Vice presidency of the Academy of Medical Sciences of Catalonia and the Balearic Islands<\/h2>\n

He became vice president of the Academy of Medical Sciences of Catalonia and the Balearic Islands; a position he would hold again in 1963.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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\n 1936
1939\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Production of Sulfonamides<\/h2>\n

During the Spanish Civil War, he began producing sulfonamides for the first time, following the discovery by german chemist Gerhard Domagk. This production became essential in ensuring the supply of medicines during a period marked by severe shortages of raw materials.<\/p>\n

According to Oriol Castellet of the Institut d\u2019Estudis Catalans<\/em>, this accomplishment represents \u201cone of the most important achievements of the Catalan pharmaceutical industry.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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\n 1938\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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First antibiotics<\/h2>\n

His research enabled him to synthesize and manufacture another essential product: p-amino-phenyl-sulfonamide, registered under the trademark Amido-Sulfol, one of the first antibiotics of the sulfonamide group sold in Spain.<\/p>\n

As a result of his research, he synthesized and began producing another essential medication: p-amino-phenyl-sulfonamide, registered under the name Amido-Sulfol. It was one of the first antibiotics in the sulfonamide group to be marketed in Spain.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \"Amido-Sulfol01\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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\n 1939\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Exile and french influence<\/h2>\n

During his exile in France, Dr. Antoni Esteve i Subirana served as head of research at the French company Usines Chimiques des Laboratoires Fran\u00e7ais<\/i> (UCLAF). This experience was key for the projection of the laboratory in the 1940s.
\nMeanwhile, Paquita Soler took on the responsibility of keeping the pharmacy and the laboratory running, with the constant support of Francesc Pag\u00e8s Gili from Barcelona.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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\n 1942\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Move to Barcelona<\/h2>\n

A fire in the laboratory on Urgell Street in Manresa, accelerated the definitive transfer of the company to Barcelona.<\/p>\n

In 1942, Dr. Esteve Laboratories moved their headquarters to Mare de D\u00e9u de Montserrat Avenue, in Barcelona\u2019s Horta-Guinard\u00f3 district.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \"Laboratori\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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\n 1948\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Alexander Fleming\u2019s visit<\/h2>\n

Dr. Alexander Fleming, discoverer of penicillin, visited the laboratories, attracted by the outstanding work of Dr. Esteve and his team.
\nAt that time, the laboratories had already carried out tests with penicillin and were distributing informational brochures to guide medical professionals.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \"Visita\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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\n 1952\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Admission to the Science Section of the Institute for Catalan Studies<\/h2>\n

He was admitted to the Science Section of the Institut d\u2019Estudis Catalans<\/em> (IEC).
\nThat same year, he synthesized and marketed the antihemorrhagic Naphtionin<\/strong>, which opened the door to international exports. He later synthesized other compounds, including the vasodilator calcium dobesilate (Doxium)<\/strong>.These medicines paved the way for future business collaborations around the world.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \"Dr-3\"\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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\n 1955\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Appointment as full member of the Institute for Catalan Studies<\/h2>\n

Antoni Esteve was appointed full member of the Institute for Catalan Studies (IEC), and four years later, he became the president of the Catalan Society of Physical, Chemical and Mathematical Sciences.
\nIn 1963, he became a full member of the Catalan Society of Biology.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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\n 1965\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Renewed leadership at the Royal Academy of Pharmacy<\/h2>\n

He became the third president of the Royal Academy of Pharmacy of Barcelona (now the Royal Academy of Pharmacy of Catalonia), an institution he had belonged to since 1950.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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\n 1979\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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Goodbye to Antoni Esteve i Subirana<\/h2>\n

Antoni Esteve i Subirana died on June 13 at the age of 77. He left behind a significant scientific and cultural legacy, driven by his deep passion for pharmacology and his strong commitment to Catalonia.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \"foto-dr\"\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n \n\n

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The years of work are rewarded by the joy of seeing the task accomplished and the hope that all possibilities remain open for continuing the work begun long ago to contribute to the development of modern therapeutics.<\/h2>\n
Dr. Antoni Esteve i Subirana<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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\n <\/svg>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"basics_global_taxonomy":[],"class_list":["post-713","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nDr. Antoni Esteve i Subirana | CI\u00c8NCIA - Biografia del Dr. Esteve<\/title>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n