AstraZeneca sets up production unit in Africa
pharmafile | June 9, 2015 | News story | Manufacturing and Production, Sales and Marketing |Â Â Africa, AstraZeneca, AstraZeneca al-Djazair, Novasep, algeriaÂ
AstraZeneca is embarking upon a joint venture that will involve the building of a new $125 million small-molecule plant in Africa.
The partnership has been struck up between AZ and two Algerian companies: AHT Health SARL of SALHI group, which is represented by its chief executive Karim Achour; and Hasnaoui Finance SARL Group under its vice president Feriel Hasnaoui.
Called AstraZeneca al-Djazair, the move is said to be a part of the Algerian government’s strategy to modernise and develop the country’s pharma sector.
The new facility would formulate AZ medicines for the Algerian healthcare community in therapy areas such as cardiovascular diseases, gastroenterology, oncology, and diabetes.
AstraZeneca actually set grounds in Algeria back in 2007 with a small team, and today has almost 180 employees in the country.
Habib Bennaceur who is AstraZeneca’s North West Africa president, says: “We will accelerate the implementation of our local production and technology transfer in Algeria, as well as participating in the creation of skilled jobs for Algerian workers.
“2015 sees the creation of the ‘AstraZeneca Al Djazair entity’ within the 51/49 Algerian law, which long term aim will be the construction of an industrial project that meets international standards with a significant portfolio of innovative medicines.”
Just three weeks ago AZ spent around $285 million on a new high-tech facility for manufacturing biological meds in Södertälje, Sweden.
The British drugmaker says that new plant is to focus on the filling and packaging of protein therapeutics, with the aim being to supply medicines for the clinical trial programmes conducted by AZ and MedImmune (AZ’s biologics R&D arm).
Novasep agrees partnerships in Japan
In other news, French life sciences equipment supplier Novasep is expanding its presence in Asia by signing two partnership agreements for the Japanese market.
The first agreement was signed with Allied Laboratories, a life science and chemical consulting company.
The second agreement was signed with AR Brown to represent Novasep’s CMO services in Japan, including both chemical and biological custom manufacturing businesses.
Brett Wells
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