Nycomed sustains commitment to Russia-CIS and invests in new pharmaceutical production plant

* Modern, state-of-the-art production plant to be built in Yaroslavl region

* Investment up to €75 million

* Construction starts in 2010, plant opening in 2014

The new facility will produce medicines for the local Russia-CIS market, which contributes 10% to Nycomed's turnover and plays an important role in the company's growth strategy. The plant, located in the Yaroslavl region, approximately 280 kilometres from Moscow, meets both the local and current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) requirements.

The facility is designed to manufacture liquid sterile products (ampoules and vials) as well as solid medicines (tablets). Liquid production includes solution preparation, washing of ampoules, sterilization, filling and inspection. Solid production will encompass all stages, from mixing and granulation through compression and coating. In addition, a packaging line for both solids and liquids will be integrated. Nycomed plans to produce products that are important for the local market, like Cardiomagnyl, Actovegin®, Calcium and Warfarin.

The products mentioned are currently produced in three of four Competence Centres, located in Austria and Germany. Each of them has a very long lasting experience in sterile or solid production. The competence centre for solids is located in Oranienburg near Berlin, those for sterile products in Singen near the Lake of Constance and in Linz, the biggest industrial city in Upper Austria. The sterile liquid production plants are not only specialised in filling of glass ampoules and vials in large quantities, but also in filling of syringes.

Employing an international team of 500 people Nycomed Austria in Linz is not only the competence centre for sterile ampoules but also the competence centre for products of biological origin, with great expertise in the processing of material from animal or human origin. Producing Actovegin® at Linz requires handling of more than 3,800 tons of calve blood per year. Further on Nycomed Austria is permitted to handle narcotic drugs and drug substances.

Due to the increasing demand in emerging markets a fourth ampoule filling line has been installed at the Austrian plant recently. Having an additional line means having increased its 3-shift capacity by 40% - from approx. 180 Mio ampoules to 260 Mio ampoules per year, strongly depending on the nominal filling volume of the various glass ampoules.

In order to enable utmost flexibility, the four ampoule filling lines are equipped with format parts covering the whole range from 1ml to 25ml for filling volume. Depending upon product requirements aseptic filling as well as terminal sterilisation can be applied.

Contract Manufacturing offered by Nycomed

Highest Quality is a matter of course, safety and convenience our maxime.

Besides manufacturing of our own brands, Nycomed Austria offers its competence and experience in manufacturing of sterile ampoules to external partners. Looking back on more than 40 years of experience in the contract manufacturing business, we are proud to serve a client base of 25 customers from emerging to big pharma. Our service covers the whole supply chain from careful sourcing of raw materials over efficient production of the bulk material to specific secondary packaging and the timely delivery of the final product.

The site in Linz is integral part of a global Contract Manufacturing Organisation, currently consisting of eight manufacturing sites, that offer the whole range of pharmaceutical technoligies from solid to liquid preparations.

In total Nycomed operates 16 manufacturing facilities in 12 countries that are meeting the highest international quality standards. Being near to our clients is part of our understanding of providing full service. We tailor our services towards specific customers and tasks. providing expertise not only in scientific matters but also by supplementing our clients' understanding of their target markets for the supply and distribution of products.

Partnership plays a vital role for all of our operational activities and helps to guarantee that products not only reach exactly the right customers, but also reach them in the most efficient manner possible.

For more information visit www.nycomed.com.