Pronova BioPharma opens new Danish plant
Pronova BioPharma will double capacity for its Omacor® pharmaceutical product based on omega-3 when its new factory opens at Kalundborg in Denmark. Production of the company's active pharmaceutical ingredient is already well under way at this plant when the official opening takes place. The first commercial deliveries are due in the first quarter of 2010.
The factory was certified earlier this week to good manufacturing practice. All that now remains are final approvals from the European Union and the USA, which are expected to be secured in the first and second halves of next year respectively. Until these approvals are in place, the Kalundborg facility will deliver intermediate products to Pronova BioPharma's existing factory at Sandefjord south of Oslo.
The new plant has cost some NOK 1.9 billion, and its completion marks the start of a new phase in the development of the fast-growing pharmaceutical company.
"This is an important milestone for us," says chief executive Morten Jurs at Pronova BioPharma. "Our new Kalundborg plant puts us in a good position to handle rapidly expanding demand for Omacor®. "That gives us opportunities to make a further commitment to boosting the growth potential - including new markets, indications and pharmaceuticals based on marine omega-3 fatty acids."
All the company's production has so far taken place at the Sandefjord factory, which has been expanded several times in line with rising demand. It currently has about 152 employees and an annual production capacity of roughly 1 200 tonnes. The Kalundborg plant will have a similar capacity but with only 108 personnel.
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