Claudio Cavazza (Bologna, 4 May 1934), founder and President of Sigma-Tau Group died today in Rome
Rome, June 6, 2011 - Claudio Cavazza (Bologna, 4 May 1934), founder and President of Sigma-Tau Group died today in Rome.
Entrepreneur Claudio Cavazza passed away today in Rome at the age of 77, leaving an unfillable void for his family and all of the employees of Sigma-Tau Group, which he founded in 1957, and for all of those with whom he worked and collaborated.
After having graduated with a degree in pharmaceutical chemistry and studied for some time under Professor Noris Siliprandi, Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Padua, Cavazza soon made the decision to dedicate himself to entrepreneurial activities. His entrepreneurial breakthrough into the pharmaceutical sector happened in the mid 1960s, thanks to the launch of Rekord B12, which soon became one of the highest selling medicines in Italy and elsewhere. An equally fundamental step in the history of Sigma-Tau Group was the decision – resulting from the passion and determination of Claudio Cavazza – to dedicate significant economic-financial resources to scientific research into the study of the metabolism and carnitine, an endogenous substance of natural origin that is without side effects, which intervenes in the processes that allow cells to produce their own energy sources.
Over the years, Sigma-Tau Group has broadened its presence in the international scene with branches not only in the major European countries of France, Switzerland, Holland, Belgium, Portugal, Germany, and the United Kingdom, but also in India and the United States, with production plants in the United States and Spain as well. Sigma-Tau Group has over 2,400 employees, 400 of whom are researchers involved in the most advanced sectors of national and worldwide research in which it reinvests 16% of its turnover.
Claudio Cavazza was Chairman of Italian pharmaceutical industry association, Farmindustria, from 1986 to 1992. He was a member of the presiding committee of the Italian employers’ federation, Confindustria, subsequently invited to join Confindustria’s technical education committee and the steering committee formed by the Confindustria Health Commission. In January 2008, Cavazza was made manager of the industrial innovation project “Nuove Tecnologie della Vita” (New life science technologies) within the Italian Ministry of Economic Development. He was a member of the board of EFPIA (European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations), of which he was Vice President from 1992 to 1994. He was also member of the Council of IFPMA (International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association).
Cavazza was appointed to the order of Knight of Labour in 1987. In 2005, the University of Genoa awarded him an honorary degree in Medicine. He was awarded an honorary degree in International Business Strategies from LUSTICO, the Free International University for International Studies of Ostia. In 1995, as a commitment to research and development of rare diseases in the United States, the Claudio Cavazza Science Award was established for high school students interested in pursuing careers in science and biotechnology. In June 2005 he was awarded the Pharma-Finance award for biotechnologies, and in December 2009 was given the title of meritorious member of the non-profit Italian Association for Fragile X Syndrome (Associazione Italiana Sindrome X Fragile Onlus) for the commitment he has shown towards those affected by the syndrome.
In 1986 Claudio Cavazza instigated the creation of the Fondazione Sigma-Tau, intended to introduce the concepts of entirety and complexity of the humanities into entrepreneurial planning and medicine, in order to promote academic and cultural debate and encourage scientific progress. Cavazza founded the Sigma-Tau publishing house in 1988, producing the scientific magazine Sfera, an editorial project of 43 parts published between 1988 and 1995. Through its innovation it gained two awards, the Galileo in Italy in 1989, and the Prix Caméra in Paris in 1991.
In 1995, as a commitment to research and development of rare diseases, in the United States, the Claudio Cavazza Science Award was established for high school students interested in pursuing careers in science and biotechnology.
During his life, Claudio Cavazza devoted himself to his work and developing Sigma Tau, and nurtured two great passions: art, in all of its forms, and jazz, which accompanied him as a sort of soundtrack throughout his life.
Pess Office:
Bruno Chiavazzo
Email: bruno.chiavazzo@sigma-tau.it
Phone: 06 91394181