written on 06.03.2014

Lilly to expand generics manufacturing facility in China

TAGS: ,

Lilly and Novast Laboratories have commenced the expansion of manufacturing and development facility capacities in Nantong, Jiangsu, China. The expansion is a result of Lilly’s strategic partnership signed in 2012 with Novast to create a platform of Lilly-branded generic medicines. The facility will be located on a 22-acre campus located inside the Free Trade Zone of the Nantong Economic Technology Development Area (NETDA).
The upcoming facility will be built employing a quality by design approach, designed by the world’s leading engineering consultants and is a direct culmination of a synergistic teamwork between Lilly and Novast personnel. The facility will be state of the art and world class with emphasis on total quality and safety at each step of the design process. "This day marks a new chapter for Novast as we are transitioning from commercializing quality prescription products in the United States to focusing on catering the same to the China domestic needs through the collaboration platform with Lilly," said Dr. Zhang, President and CEO of Novast Holdings.
"We are delighted to see the facility expansion of Novast under the strategic partnership of Lilly-Novast on brand-generic medicine. In Lilly’s emerging markets business, we are focused on providing patients with innovative medicines from our own pipeline, as well as select Lilly-branded generic medicines that meet Lilly Global Quality Standards. The additional manufacturing capabilities provided by Novast will allow us to better deliver on that strategy," commented Mr. Alfonso Zulueta, Sr. Vice President and President of Emerging Markets, Eli Lilly and Company.
The expansion will involve the addition of a 260,000 square foot manufacturing facility, enabling the production of both sustained release and containment solid oral dosage prescription pharmaceuticals with an annual additional capacity of more than 2.2 billion units. The company plans to invest 60 – 70 million US dollars and is anticipated to complete construction by the end of 2015. When the facility becomes fully operational it will not only provide quality products benefiting patients, but also help the local economy in the creation of more than 350 highly skilled additional jobs.
Mr. Andrew Hodge, President of Lilly China, indicated that the expanded manufacturing facilities in Novast will impose a strong support to Lilly China’s full value chain strategy, which is an integration of business presence including Lilly-owned manufacturing, sales and marketing, R&D and branded generics.