Genzyme’s Waterford plant gets new investment round
pharmafile | February 19, 2013 | News story | Manufacturing and Production | Genzyme, Sanofi, Waterford
Sanofi’s Genzyme unit plans to spend €44 million on upgrading its plant in Waterford, Ireland, to help meet demand for its long-acting basal insulin Lantus.
The investment in additional capacity at Waterford is a milestone for the plant, as Lantus (insulin glargine) is the first non-Genzyme product to be made there.
The facility has traditionally focused on fill-and-finish activities for Genzyme’s rare disease products such as Cerezyme (imiglucerase) for Gaucher disease, Fabrazyme (agalsidase beta) for Fabry disease and Myozyme/Lumizyme (algucosidase alfa) for Pompe disease.
Waterford has played a central role helping Genzyme recover from the manufacturing problems that have affected its rare treatment disease business in the last couple of years, prompted by a contamination issue at its Allston Landing plant in the US which led to shortages of several drugs. Genzyme opened a €150 million expansion at the facility in 2011 which tripled fill/finish capacity.
Now, products such as Cerezyme and Fabrazyme are returning to historical production levels, and adding in Lantus production elevates the Irish facility to a key position in the Sanofi manufacturing network.
Subject to validation and regulatory approvals, production of Lantus at Waterford should start in earnest in 2016.
The product is the top-selling insulin in the world, adding almost 5 billion euros to Sanofi’s coffers in 2012 – a rise of almost 20% on the prior year – and has around an 80 per cent share of the long-acting insulin market.
Prospects for Sanofi’s flagship product now look even brighter following an FDA decision not to approve Novo Nordisk’s rival product Tresiba (insulin degludec) earlier this week, although it has been given the go-ahead in Europe and Japan.
The latest investment is a major vote of confidence in the Waterford site, which employs more than 500 people, according to IDA Ireland.
The plant’s general manager, Pat O’Sullivan, said: “This substantial investment and the introduction of Sanofi product to our facility provide an excellent platform for future sustainability.”
Phil Taylor
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