Manufacturing facility news in brief
pharmafile | September 20, 2013 | News story | Manufacturing and Production | Africa, Hikma
Production at a production unit operated by Novartis’ Slovenian generic drugs subsidiary Lek has been halted by a powder explosion, according to the STA news service.
The plant in question is located at Prevalje and is one of the key production units for Novartis’ Sandoz generics division, making medicines – notably including antibiotic amoxicillin/potassium clavulanate – that are exported to more than 60 countries around the world, and employs around 200 staff. It is not yet known if any workers were injured in the blast.
US contract manufacturer Cedarburg Hauser has said it plans to upgrade its plant in Grafton, Wisconsin, to cope with increasing demand for its active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) products. The investment will boost commercial API production capacity by 20-25% thanks to the addition of a 30-tonne process chiller, an industrial vacuum pump, another 200 kilowatt generator and new large-scale filters.
The company said the upgrades would introduce operational efficiencies that will “allow us to produce more material in a shorter amount of time for our clients”.
UK contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO) Aesica Pharmaceuticals has officially opened a new £30 million ($48m) production plant at its site in Queenborough, Kent, site, that will make a solid dose medication for diabetes. Commercial production of the undisclosed product is due to start in November, said the company. The new facility boasts specialist equipment including spray granulators, coaters, tablet presses, a de-lumper, blender and a sieve system, said Aesica.
Hikma has unveiled a joint-venture in Ethiopia with MIDROC – a business owned by billionaire businessman Sheikh Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi – which will focus on the construction of a manufacturing plant in the country that will start supplying medicines within five years into the $500 million domestic market. Hikma and MIDROC are ach putting up to $22.3 million into the JV, which will be called HikmaCure and is Hikma’s first foray into the sub-Sahara African market.
Cargill has announced a $15 million investment in a plant in Brittany, France, which processes seaweed into alginates that are used as excipients in the pharmaceutical industry, as well as a multitude of applications in other sectors such as food and beverages. Pharma uses of alginates include gelling and thickening agents and as a component of tablet coatings. The facility at Lannilis will also be made greener with the addition of more efficient wastewater processing.
Strides Arcolab says it has received a warning letter from the US FDA for its facility in Bangalore, India, that was sent a Form 483 detailing various quality deficiencies earlier this year. The plant is part of its Agila Specialties subsidiary, which is in the process of being sold to generic drugmaker Mylan in a $1.6 billion deal. There was better news for Strides however when it revealed it had secured FDA approval for a semi-solid production plant in Milan, Italy.
Phil Taylor
Related Content
Fosun Pharma and IFC partner to improve access to medicines in Africa
Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Group has announced a partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) with …
Boehringer withdraws its £700m investment in Hikma Pharmaceuticals
Boehringer has revealed that it intends to withdraw its investment from Hikma Pharmaceuticals, with the …
African measles cases surge by 700%
The number of cases of measles infection on the African continent has surged by 700%, …
