GlaxoSmithKline expands Canadian manufacturing plant
pharmafile | June 20, 2011 | News story | Manufacturing and Production | GSK, pharma manufacturing news
GlaxoSmithKline has set aside almost £19 million ($31 million) to expand a manufacturing facility in Ontario, Canada, creating 70 additional jobs.
The 250,000-sq.ft. facility is one of two operated by GSK in Canada and lies adjacent to the company’s Mississauga headquarters. It was set up at a cost of $120 million and manufactures more than 75 medicines, with around 80% of the output exported.
“This expansion will help bring new products to market and enable the global supply of the company’s dermatological products such as creams, ointments, lotions, and foams – the first capability of its kind in Ontario,” said GSK in a statement.
GSK has made a concerted push into the topical treatment area since buying Stiefel Laboratories, the world’s largest dermatological company, in 2009 for $2.9 billion.
No timeframe has been given for the completion of the expansion project, which was announced earlier this month at a formal ceremony attended by Minister of Research and Innovation Glen Murray and GSK’s chief executive Andrew Witty.
The Mississauga plant currently makes drugs such as Mepron (atovaquone) and Malarone (atovaquone plus proguanil) for malaria, oral liquid formulations including Retrovir (zidovudine) and various other prescription and over-the-counter medicines.
With the latest round of investment it will become a centre for the production of a range of GSK’s dermatological products as well as heart failure drug Coreg CR (carvedilol tablets) and flu treatment Relenza (zanamivir dry powder inhalation).
The Ontario government is supporting the investment with $3.6 million and said it was important to support the programme as it not only created new jobs but secured around 300 positions in Mississauga.
GSK also operates a vaccine manufacturing facility in Quebec and all told employs around 2,700 workers in Canada.
Phil Taylor
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