San Antonio Business Journal

State Sen. Leticia Van de Putte presents award to John Feik (left) and Paul Johnson of DPT (Photo Courtesy DPT Laboratories)

DPT Laboratories Ltd. received the state’s “Texas Treasure Business Award” for its contributions to the Texas economy.

DPT is a contract development and manufacturing operation based in San Antonio. The company manufactures semi-solid and liquid medical products on behalf of pharmaceutical, biotechnology and health care companies.

The company was founded in 1938 as Texas Pharmacal Co. and it specialized in the manufacture of products treating diseases of the skin. Between 1938 and 1990, the company’s name changed several times. In 1990, DPT’s current owner, DFB Pharmaceuticals in Fort Worth, acquired Dermatological Products of Texas from Alcon and changed its name to DPT Laboratories Ltd.

The Texas Legislature created the Texas Treasure Business Award in 2005 to honor businesses that have been in existence in Texas for more than 50 years, created jobs and stimulated economic growth. DPT has more than 1,200 employees in San Antonio and Lakewood, N.J.

DPT operates a 500,000-square-foot manufacturing, packaging and distribution facility north of downtown at 307 E. Josephine St.

In addition, in 2006, DPT completed a $24 million, two-building campus at Brooks City-Base. The campus currently has 136 pharmaceutical and biotechnology employees. The company is planning on increasing the number of local jobs at Brooks to 250 by 2010.

State Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio, authored the legislation to create the awards program. The Texas Historical Commission will present the company with the award on Oct. 21.

“DPT has been a strong corporate citizen in San Antonio,” says Van de Putte. “The company is part of this community's growing $15 billion health care and biomedical industry and its $14 billion manufacturing industry. Their commitment to San Antonio is commendable, and we are excited to see the growth of DPT continue for many years.”

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