LIVE FROM CPHI: IDT Biologika to invest €40m in vaccine production capabilities at BioPharmaPark
Oncotec Pharma Produktion will expand sterile parenteral oncology drug manufacturing capacity at the park
IDT Biologika, a German contract manufacturer and developer of pharmaceutical technology, and a producer of biopharmaceuticals and viral and bacterial vaccines, is to invest €40m in its vaccine and parenteral sterile fill/finish capacities in syringes, vials, lyophilisation and packaging at its BioPharmaPark in Dessau-Rosslau.
In addition, Oncotec Pharma Produktion, which is on the same site, is expanding its sterile parenteral oncology drug manufacturing capacity in a €30m investment.
The next ramp-up phase in IDT Biologika's €40m investment will include serialisation and anti-counterfeiting capabilities to allow the authentication of finished pharmaceuticals and quality control.
The firm started up new production capacity dedicated to sterile parenteral drug products in September, having completed an expansion project announced in 2011. Manufacturing capacity of vial-based products in liquid and lyophilised form will increase to 60 million units a year.
'Manufacturing biologics as well as sterile cytostatic oncology drugs with the highest standard of reliability and quality is among the most challenging tasks within the pharmaceutical industry,' said Ralf Pfirmann, Chief Executive of IDT Biologika.
'These drugs are highly potent and require a very high level of care in manufacturing and storage.'
Oncotec Pharma Produktion, a pharmaceutical manufacturing partner of IDT Biologika, will expand its manufacturing facilities and pharmaceutical site infrastructure to meet increasing demand and alleviate supply shortfalls. The expansion projects have already started and will be completed by 2016.
'Our investment, coupled with the enhanced manufacturing capabilities within the BioPharmaPark will offer the marketplace access to the latest technologies and the highest GMP-quality production lines in the world,' said Jan-Arne Gewert, Managing Director of Oncotec Pharma Produktion.
Pfirmann added that partnering with Oncotec on selected projects and bolstering the overall capabilities of IDT Biologika's BioPharmaPark would make the firm better able to support the global marketplace and result in production capabilities of the highest level of quality and reliability.
