Columbia Standard

Lou Kennedy, the CEO of Nephron Pharmaceutical Corporation, received the key to the city of Columbia from Mayor Steve Benjamin.

"Mayor Benjamin is a good friend and, more importantly, he has been a great leader for the Midlands. Thanks to the leadership of Mayor Benjamin, growth in Columbia and around the region has turned heads and caught the eye of businesses just like ours. That is one of the many reasons we moved from Florida. I could not be more proud for Nephron to be part of the Midlands family and to have been able to join it during Mayor Benjamin's service. I thank him and wish him well as he transitions to the next chapter," Kennedy said, according to Nephron's website.

On Dec. 20, Benjamin made the presentation during Kennedy's appearance at the Columbia Rotary Club.

Nephron CEO Lou Kennedy | Facebook

Nephron is a West Columbia-based company that develops and produces safe, affordable generic inhalation solutions and suspension products. The company also operates an industry-leading 503B Outsourcing Facility division, which produces prefilled sterile syringes, luer-lock vials, IV bottles and IV bags for hospitals across the country in an effort to alleviate drug shortages.

Nephron launched a CLIA-certified diagnostics lab last year, where it tests people for COVID-19 and administers vaccinations. In July, Nephron announced the opening of Nephron Nitrile, a plant that will produce American-made, medical-grade nitrile gloves. The new plant will also be located in West Columbia.