1912 - 1927

The legend began in 1912 in the pharmacy of Abdi İbrahim Bey in Küçük Mustafapaşa. In 1916, in the pharmacy’s modest laboratory, Abdi İbrahim Bey began making sanitary goods, castor oil and similar preparations and was the second pharmacist to prepare galenic preparations after pharmacist Agop Şahinyan. It was after being appointed head of the Military Medical Warehouse, which was established in Sarayburnu during World War I, that he first prepared pressed hydrophilic cotton. The high absorption capacity of his pressed hydrophilic cotton cemented Abdi İbrahim’s reputation after its highly successful use during the war. He first entered the pharmacy market with a "Restorative" and went on to create a nervine called “Bromovalerin Nadir” that was able to compete with the popular French preparation “Valerobromine Legrande” and obtained a license for “Müshil-i Nadir” (a purgative). He sold his pharmacy in 1919 and opened a laboratory (in Mahmutpaşa Tarakçılar, Büyük Yeni Han No. 9) that he equipped with state-of-the-art technologies imported from Europe.

Abdi İbrahim continued making preparations and tablets in his laboratory, which he called the "Müstahzarat-ı İspençiyariye Fabrikası” (Pharmaceuticals Preparations Factory), expanding his product range with "Nadir Diş Tozu” (Nadir Tooth Powder), "Hydrastis Hulasa-i Seyyalesi" (Hydrastis Liquid Extract) and "Tenture de Jalap Kompoze" (Tincture of Jalap Composition).

In 1927, the laboratory was moved to the Çemberlitaş district (Peykhane Sok. No. 6/4) and he thus became one of the first pharmacists to open individual laboratories, pioneering the pharmaceutical sector in Türkiye. Later in 1927, when Abdi İbrahim Bey died of a sudden illness, his wife Fatma Mehveş Barut took over the management of the facility. Making use of her excellent French, learned at the French school in Thessaloniki, she worked with her sister Bahriye in the laboratory to produce galenic preparations according to formulas selected from French pharmacist François Dorvault’s book L’officine ou, Répertoire général de pharmacie pratique. Fatma Hanım then made a deal with Pharmacist Ali Süreyya (Kalemcioğlu) for the production of preparations. In this role at the Abdi İbrahim Tıbbi Ecza Laboratuvarı (Abdi İbrahim Medical Drugs Laboratory), the company released “Mine Toothpaste” and “Rida Mouthwash” under the license of Mehmet Rıfat Atay, a dentist. An application was made for the production of Syalgine, a specialty of Dr. Nüzhet Şakir and a nervine named “Alginol” was launched.

When Pharmacist Ali Süreyya passed away, Fatma Mehveş Barut appointed Pharmacist İ. Hakkı Kerem, who went on to obtain a license for his preparation “Hakkı Katran Cough Drop”, which was subsequently produced and released to the market by the Abdi İbrahim Medical Drugs Laboratory until İ. Hakkı Katran’s death.

1940 - 1975

Fatma Mehveş encouraged her son, İbrahim Hayri Barut, to train as a pharmacist and to take over the running of the laboratory, and after earning his diploma from the Pharmacist School of Science of Istanbul University he was appointed as the manager of the facility in 1940.

Having witnessed Fatma Mehveş Barut’s efforts to sustain the laboratory, İbrahim Hayri Barut visited the Çemberlitaş laboratory at every opportunity and worked at every stage of production. He had a keen interest in machinery and was skilled enough to repair broken equipment. He spent many nights close to the distilled water boiler and would go to college the next morning with hands covered in coal dust but succeeded in graduating from college under these conditions.

İbrahim Hayri Barut’s first act was to rename the laboratory the "Abdi İbrahim Barut Tıbbi Ecza Laboratuvarı” (Abdi İbrahip Barut Medical Drugs Laboratory). Then, for the attestation of the title “Abdi İbrahim Barut” by the notary public, he prepared and signed a document stating that he would be engaged in the production of medical drugs as the only authorized person in the laboratory and sent the document to all relevant companies. He would retain this role throughout his business life.

He ceased the production of galenic preparations to focus on medical preparations. At the time, the continuing World War II hostilities made it impossible to import equipment from Europe, and so he shared his experience and knowledge with technicians and was able to renew the machinery.

When the war finished, he imported two cutting edge technology tablet machines from Denmark and the United Kingdom. He kitted out the lab with ampoule fillers and sealers and granule machines made in the United Kingdom and obtained the latest Super-Heidelberger automatic printing machines for the printing of packaging as well as Mineldex printing machines for ampoules. After expanding the product range through technological renovations, he launched production of 100 different ampoules, other than preparations, in a 400 square-meter laboratory in Çemberlitaş in 1948. The number of staff was increased to 30 and three doctors and two pharmacists were employed to work in the scientific bureau.

It was at this time that Türkiye started to benefit from the Marshall Plan, through which the United States allocated funds for the development of European countries that had been affected by World War II. Between 1948 and 1959, a couple of pharmaceutical laboratories made use of Marshall Aid loans to upgrade their buildings and technologies, beginning the transition from laboratories to factories in the pharmaceutical sector. Ibrahim Hayri Barut was opposed to foreign capital, and in 1953 he began production with factory technologies in a new building equipped with modern machinery built using his own capital on land purchased in Vefa (Revani Çelebi Sok. No. 5).

İbrahim Hayri Barut strongly opposed the Foreign Capital Incentive Law (No. 6224 dated January 18, 1954), which made it possible for foreign capital and enterprises working in the same fields to benefit from all the rights, exemptions and conveniences provided to domestic capital and enterprises. He would stress the importance of the national pharmaceutical industry in all circumstances and on all platforms.

Manufactured by Pharmacist İbrahim Hayri Barut with superior performance, the preparations became a market favourites. He produced the pomade and tablet forms of Sulp-Hamide, the first sulp-hamide preparation in Türkiye, and the first penicillin preparation, Thiocilline. He became the first person in Türkiye to equip a laboratory with a printing press. He gained a considerable reputation with his medicines and his bold and innovative approach made Abdi İbrahim the third-largest pharmaceutical company in Türkiye.

İbrahim Hayri Barut, with his entrepreneurial personality, never shied away from addressing the problems encountered by pharmacists and pharmaceutical manufacturers and was a member of the Pharmacists Union Administrative Committee. He became the second chairman of the Turkish Pharmacists' Association and the Turkish Society of Medical Contractors Industry and Laboratories Association. He was also a member of the entrepreneurship committee of the Istanbul Chamber of Pharmacists. In all of these organizations he addressed the problems faced by the Turkish pharmacy sector and championed the development of a national pharmaceutical industry. İbrahim Hayri Barut died suddenly in 1961, after which his wife Belma Barut became fully responsible for the Abdi İbrahim Pharmaceuticals Factory. Rather than considering those who applied for management positions from outside the family, Belma Barut entrusted the company to Gynaecologist Mekin Alpay, who was the husband of her sister-in-law Podiatrist Emine Alpay, in 1961. Barut continued her duties on the board of directors, believing that “there should be a reliable person who can take over the management until the children grow up and take control”. Barut managed this custodian process with great success, ensuring the continued operation of the plant.

The Abdi İbrahim Pharmaceuticals Factory continued to develop with new preparations under the management of Mekin Alpay, M.D., Obstetrics and Gynaecology Specialist, who added drugs to their product range from well-known factories in such countries as the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and France from 1962 onward. Along with her spouse Ahmet Kamil Esirtgen, Nesrin Barut Esirtgen, who held 50 percent of the shares of the company, provided support to Alpay during his mandate.

Abdi İbrahim became a joint-stock company and took its present name in 1975 thanks to the contributions of Ahmet Kamil Esirtgen.

1981 - 1996

The family’s third-generation pharmacist, Nezih Barut, received his diploma from the Istanbul University Faculty of Pharmacy and started work at the factory as Production Manager. In 1981, Nezih Barut and Nesrin Barut Esirtgen took over the management of the company from Alpay. Focusing on growth rather than profit, Nezih Barut took advantage of the available opportunities, and the company became the Turkish representative of nearly 30 international companies, increasing the product range to 150. With Nesrin Barut Esirtgen’s support, the company’s foreign relations were strengthened, and this period was marked by many foreign collaborations. To accommodate the growing number of employees, the headquarters and administrative units moved to Zincirlikuyu in 1991.

Nezih Barut had big dreams for the production and quality control departments. Realizing that the pharmaceutical sector had evolved into a global market, Nezih Barut selected Esenyurt for production and started the journey to the peak, which brought the company in line with the global pharmaceutical sector.

The foundations were laid in 1994 for the construction of a production facility in Esenyurt. In 1996 The Esenyurt Production Complex entered into operation in accordance with cGMP (current Good Manufacturing Practices) standards. The company took the lead position in the sector in terms of box sales in 2002.

2002 - 2008

2007 was a historic year for Abdi İbrahim when the company became the first Turkish concern to be listed among the "100 Largest Pharma Companies in the World". That same year, Abdi İbrahim launched its first social responsibility project in education with the opening of the Abdi İbrahim Primary School.

In 2008, the first pharmaceutical R&D Centre to be accredited by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Industry was opened.

2010 - 2013

In 2010, the Abdi İbrahim Tekno-logistics Centre became operational in the Esenyurt complex in Istanbul, and that same year, the Abdi Farma company was established in Portugal.

Abdi İbrahim published the first United Nations Global Compact Progress Report in 2011.

In the history of Abdi İbrahim, 2012 was a year of many developments, celebrating its 100th year, which was crowned by the launch of further social responsibility projects. The company launched the Smart Pharmaceuticals Project to raise public awareness on the unconscious use of drugs, in the interest of public health and the national economy. The Van Gogh Alive Digital Art Exhibition opened to visitors, presenting the favourite works of artist Van Gogh in a brand-new format never experienced before. Van Gogh Alive combined art, science and technology in an innovative way, as a reflection of Abdi İbrahim's 100-year outlook. In addition, Abdi İbrahim Global Pharm (AIGP) was founded through the acquisition of a 60 percent share in Global Pharm, one of Kazakhstan’s largest companies. The company also entered into a partnership in Türkiye with Otsuka Pharmaceutical, a Japanese pharmaceutical giant, to form Abdi Ibrahim Otsuka (AIO) in Türkiye.

In 2013, the Belma Barut Primary School opened.

2014 - 2023

In 2014, Abdi İbrahim Remede Pharma (AIRP) was founded in Algeria through the acquisition of a 50 percent share in Remede, one of Algeria's leading pharmaceutical companies, and began investing in the construction of the most modern pharmaceutical factory in the country.

In 2015, Abdi İbrahim laid the foundations for AbdiBio, Türkiye's largest biotechnological drug manufacturing facility, to be introduced to the biotechnology field. That same year, Abdi İbrahim Global Pharm, the production facility in Kazakhstan, entered into operation. The Rehabilitation Project for the Hospital Section of Trakya University’s Sultan Bayezid II Social Complex Health Museum was conducted.

In 2017, construction of Sterile Ophthalmology and Sterile Inhalation Facilities, along with a Hormone Production Facility, began. The production facility in Algeria, Abdi İbrahim Remede Pharma entered into operation.

AbdiBio, Türkiye’s largest biotechnological drug production facility, opened its doors in 2018 with a huge ceremony. In the same year, the foundations of the Sterile Injectable and Oncology Production Facilities were laid, and the Hormone Production Facility became operational.

Abdi İbrahim launched a pivotal project focusing on the environment, which is one of the three main focus areas of the HEAL2030 sustainability strategy created with an ESG-driven mindset in 2020. As part of this project, all production facilities within the Esenyurt Production Complex started running on 100% renewable electricity. This move by Abdi İbrahim was a concrete and pioneering one for sustainability.

In 2020, Abdi İbrahim took a historic step to expand its partnership portfolio by acquiring OM Pharma, an 86-year-old pharmaceutical company based in Switzerland–the pioneering country of the pharmaceutical industry, with a Swiss joint venture group. Abdi İbrahim became the first Turkish pharmaceutical company to participate in the management of a European pharmaceutical company by acquiring a 28.5 percent stake in OM Pharma.

In 2021, Abdi İbrahim established the Abdi İbrahim Foundation, which operates in the fields of education, sports, healthcare and care services. The Abdi İbrahim Foundation aims to promote science, sports and education among young people, and to support them to become qualified individuals who boast extensive knowledge in their fields and who embrace modern and universal values and the core principles of the Republic of Türkiye.

Opened in the Vefa District, where Abdi İbrahim's first production facility is located, in 2022, the Abdi İbrahim Foundation House of Kindness was established to provide accommodation to children who come to Istanbul with their families for cancer treatment but have difficulty finding a place to stay due to financial reasons.

In 2023 We have secured a place in the A list in the Climate Change Program of the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP).