CSL Behring
A global biopharmaceutical company focused on plasma-derived and recombinant therapies for rare diseases, immune disorders, bleeding disorders, and critical-care conditions.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
CSL Behring is a global biopharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures, and supplies plasma-derived and recombinant medicines. Its principal therapeutic areas include primary and secondary immunodeficiencies, hereditary and acquired angioedema, hemophilia and other bleeding disorders, hereditary deficiencies of coagulation proteins, and selected conditions requiring specialized critical-care therapies. The company is also closely associated with CSL Plasma, a large plasma-collection business that supplies plasma used in the manufacture of fractionated medicines. The modern brand combines several historical strands. One is Behringwerke, established in Marburg, Germany, in 1904 by Emil von Behring. Behring, the first recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, pioneered serum therapy and helped establish the scientific and industrial foundations of antibody and antiserum production. The other is the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories, founded in Australia in 1916 to produce vaccines and other biological products for Australia and New Zealand. These organizations, together with businesses acquired over subsequent decades, form the historical base of CSL Behring. CSL Limited expanded its plasma and specialty-biologics activities through acquisitions, including ZLB in 2000, Nabi's plasma-collection operations in 2001, and Aventis Behring in 2004. The combination of ZLB Bioplasma and Aventis Behring created ZLB Behring, which adopted the CSL Behring name in 2007. The rebranding connected the company more explicitly with CSL Limited while preserving the Behring heritage associated with plasma medicines and immunology. CSL Behring's portfolio includes immunoglobulins such as Hizentra and Privigen, complement and bradykinin-pathway products such as Berinert, coagulation products such as Kcentra and factor concentrates, albumin, and other specialty biologics. Products are supplied through hospitals, specialist physicians, infusion providers, and other healthcare channels, depending on the therapy and market. The company also invests in recombinant proteins, gene-modification and cell-delivery technologies, and medicines for rare and serious diseases. Its operating model spans plasma collection, fractionation, recombinant manufacturing, research and development, regulatory operations, and global commercialization. Major manufacturing and research locations associated with the broader business include Marburg, Germany; Bern, Switzerland; Kankakee, Illinois; and Broadmeadows, Australia. CSL Behring operates internationally and has historically reported a workforce of more than 12,000 employees within the business, while CSL Limited reports a larger group-wide workforce. The company remains a major operating business of CSL Limited rather than an independently listed corporation.
History
CSL Behring's history is rooted in two major biological-medicine traditions. In 1904, Emil von Behring founded Behringwerke in Marburg, Germany. The organization initially concentrated on experimental disease prevention and the manufacture of sera and vaccines. Its early work included products such as gas-gangrene antiserum and cholera vaccine. Behring's work on serum therapy made him a foundational figure in modern immunology and earned him the first Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. A second institutional predecessor was the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories, established in Australia in 1916 to provide vaccines and biological products for Australia and New Zealand. CSL later contributed to several important public-health manufacturing efforts. It introduced an antivenom for tiger-snake bites in 1930 and began producing penicillin for the Australian military during the Second World War. In the 1950s, CSL officer Val Bazeley assisted Jonas Salk with production work related to the experimental polio vaccine used in early United States clinical trials, then helped establish production of the Salk vaccine in Australia. The Behring organization continued to develop plasma and coagulation products. In 1981, Behringwerke introduced Haemate, a human plasma-derived complex containing factor VIII and von Willebrand factor for people with hemophilia A and related bleeding conditions. Meanwhile, CSL became a major Australian life-sciences enterprise. CSL Limited was incorporated in 1991, returned to private ownership in 1994, and was subsequently listed on the Australian Stock Exchange. CSL's international plasma strategy accelerated around the turn of the century. In 2000, it acquired ZLB from the Swiss Red Cross. In 2001, it acquired the U.S. plasma-collection business Nabi, strengthening the network that became CSL Plasma. In 2004, CSL acquired Aventis Behring, a U.S.-based coagulation-therapy company, and combined it with ZLB Bioplasma to create ZLB Behring. CSL later sold its animal-health business and divested JRH Biosciences, while acquiring Zenyth Therapeutics in 2006. The ZLB Behring name changed to CSL Behring in 2007. In 2009, ZLB Plasma was renamed CSL Plasma, and the organization opened plasma-testing laboratories in Knoxville, Tennessee. During this period, CSL Behring received recognition from rare-disease organizations for developing and marketing therapies for serious and uncommon conditions, including treatment of acute bleeding episodes associated with congenital fibrinogen deficiency. The company also received a Swiss Tell Award, and EURORDIS recognized it with a company award in 2012. In the 2020s, CSL Behring and its parent continued to broaden their technology and specialty-medicine capabilities. CSL Behring acquired Calimmune in 2020, adding expertise associated with gene modification and cell delivery. It also acquired Vitaeris after exercising an earlier option connected with clazakizumab development for transplant-related rejection. In 2022, parent company CSL Limited completed the purchase of Vifor Pharma, adding scale in specialty pharmaceuticals and reshaping the broader group portfolio. Today, CSL Behring operates as a global CSL Limited business. Its activities span plasma collection, plasma fractionation, recombinant manufacturing, research, clinical development, and commercialization. The company serves patients through therapies for immunodeficiency, hereditary angioedema, hemophilia and other bleeding disorders, and critical-care indications. Its history gives the brand both a long-standing Behring identity in serum and coagulation science and a CSL identity connected to vaccines, plasma supply, and international biopharmaceutical manufacturing.
- 2022
CSL Limited completes the Vifor Pharma acquisition
[1]The parent company completed its acquisition of Vifor Pharma, broadening the CSL group's specialty-pharmaceutical activities.
- 2020
Calimmune and Vitaeris transactions expand the pipeline
[1]CSL Behring acquired Calimmune and Vitaeris, adding technology and development assets in gene modification, cell delivery, and transplant-related medicine.
- 2012
EURORDIS recognizes CSL Behring
[1]The European Organisation for Rare Diseases recognized CSL Behring for its work on therapies for rare and serious medical conditions.
- 2009
ZLB Plasma becomes CSL Plasma
[1]The plasma-collection business was renamed CSL Plasma, and plasma-testing laboratories opened in Knoxville, Tennessee.
- 2007
The CSL Behring brand is established
[1]ZLB Behring adopted the CSL Behring name.
- 2004
Aventis Behring is acquired
[1]CSL acquired Aventis Behring and combined it with ZLB Bioplasma to form ZLB Behring.
- 2001
Nabi plasma operations are acquired
[1]CSL acquired Nabi's U.S. plasma-collection operations, helping build the network later operated as CSL Plasma.
- 2000
ZLB is acquired
[1]CSL acquired ZLB from the Swiss Red Cross, strengthening its plasma-products platform.
- 1981
Haemate is introduced
[1]Behringwerke introduced Haemate, a plasma-derived factor VIII and von Willebrand factor complex for bleeding disorders.
- 1944
CSL begins military penicillin production
[1]CSL began producing penicillin for the Australian military during the Second World War.
Products and positioning
Specialist biopharmaceutical company positioned around plasma-derived and recombinant therapies for rare diseases, immunodeficiency, bleeding disorders, and critical care.
Subcutaneous immunoglobulin
Hizentra
Hizentra is a subcutaneous immunoglobulin product used in selected primary and secondary immunodeficiency settings. It is designed for administration under the skin, allowing appropriate patients to receive replacement immunoglobulin outside a traditional hospital infusion model. Its role reflects CSL Behring's emphasis on long-term immune replacement and treatment formats that can support ongoing specialist-managed care.
Intravenous immunoglobulin
Privigen
Privigen is an intravenous immunoglobulin preparation made from human plasma. It is used in a range of immunodeficiency and immune-mediated indications, subject to country-specific approvals and prescribing information. The product represents a core part of CSL Behring's plasma-derived immunoglobulin franchise and depends on the company's integrated plasma-collection, testing, fractionation, and quality systems.
Rare-disease biologic
Berinert
Berinert is a C1 esterase inhibitor concentrate used in the management of hereditary angioedema in approved markets and indications. It addresses a rare disorder involving recurrent episodes of swelling and illustrates the company's focus on plasma-derived therapies for conditions with specialized diagnosis, acute-treatment needs, and limited therapeutic alternatives.
Coagulation therapy
Kcentra
Kcentra is a four-factor prothrombin complex concentrate used in approved emergency reversal settings for anticoagulation. It contains coagulation factors derived from human plasma and is supplied primarily through hospital and acute-care channels. The product extends CSL Behring's historical expertise in coagulation medicine into urgent clinical situations where rapid management of bleeding risk is required.
Coagulation factor complex · 1981
Haemate
Haemate is a plasma-derived factor VIII and von Willebrand factor complex introduced by Behringwerke in 1981. It is associated with treatment of hemophilia A and von Willebrand disease in markets where the relevant indications are approved. Its long history makes it an important link between the Behringwerke legacy and CSL Behring's modern bleeding-disorder portfolio.
Plasma-derived critical-care product
Albumin
CSL Behring manufactures and markets human albumin products for approved hospital and critical-care uses. Albumin is a plasma-derived protein used in carefully defined clinical circumstances, including selected volume-management and specialty-care applications. Its inclusion in the portfolio reflects the breadth of plasma fractionation beyond immunoglobulins and coagulation factors.
Brand decisions
2022
Complete the Vifor Pharma acquisitionM&ABackground
CSL Limited sought to expand its specialty-pharmaceutical portfolio and international commercial scale.
Action taken
CSL Limited finalized the acquisition of Vifor Pharma.
Aftermath
The transaction expanded the broader CSL group's specialty-medicine activities; CSL Behring continued as a major operating business within that group.
2020
Expand into gene-modification and transplant-related developmentM&ABackground
CSL Behring pursued technologies and development programs beyond its traditional plasma-derived portfolio.
Action taken
The company acquired Calimmune and exercised an earlier option to acquire Vitaeris, including its clazakizumab program.
Aftermath
The transactions broadened the company's research and development interests in cell delivery, gene modification, and transplant medicine.
2009
Unify the plasma-collection identityStrategyBackground
CSL's plasma-collection network had expanded through acquisitions and supplied the raw material for plasma-derived medicines.
Action taken
ZLB Plasma was renamed CSL Plasma, and the company expanded plasma-testing infrastructure in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Aftermath
The change created a more consistent identity between plasma collection and the CSL Behring manufacturing and therapeutics business.
2007
Align the operating brand with CSL LimitedStrategyBackground
After the formation of ZLB Behring through the combination of ZLB Bioplasma and Aventis Behring, CSL Limited sought a brand identity that connected the business more clearly to the parent group while preserving the established Behring name.
Action taken
The company changed its name from ZLB Behring to CSL Behring.
Aftermath
The new name became the principal identity for the group's specialty plasma-derived and recombinant therapeutics business.
Recent events
- 2022
CSL Limited completes acquisition of Vifor Pharma[1]
M&A
CSL Limited finalized its acquisition of Vifor Pharma, expanding the parent group's specialty-pharmaceutical platform and changing the strategic context in which CSL Behring operates.
- 2020
CSL Behring acquires Calimmune[1]
M&A
CSL Behring acquired Calimmune, a company associated with gene-modification and cell-delivery technologies.
- 2020
CSL Behring acquires Vitaeris[1]
M&A · Other
CSL Behring exercised an earlier option and acquired Vitaeris, whose development program centered on clazakizumab and potential applications in transplant recipients experiencing organ rejection.
- 2009
ZLB Plasma is renamed CSL Plasma[1]
Other
The plasma-collection operation adopted the CSL Plasma name as part of broader brand alignment with CSL Limited.
- 2007
ZLB Behring adopts the CSL Behring name[1]
Other
The company changed its name from ZLB Behring to CSL Behring, aligning the operating brand with parent company CSL Limited while retaining the Behring legacy.
Sources8 sources
- 1CSL Behringen.wikipedia.org
- 2CSL Behring official websitecslbehring.com
- 3CSL Limited official websitecsl.com
- 4CSL partners with US clinical-stage biotechafr.com
- 5FDA Approves New BERINERT® (C1 Esterase Inhibitor, Human (Intravenous)) Administration Kit for Increased Patient Convenienceprnewswire.com
- 6SAB Biotherapeutics Announces Research Collaboration With CSL Behringfinanznachrichten.de
- 7SAB Biotherapeutics Announces Research Collaboration With CSL Behringibtimes.com.au
- 8SAB Biotherapeutics announces research collaboration with CSL Behring - Pharmaceutical Business reviewpharmaceutical-business-review.com
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