Novartis opts for Barberà del Vallès to make its top selling pharmaceuticals

Swiss multinational pharma giant Novartis has earmarked €60 million to invest in a new inhaled medicine production plant in its industrial complex at Barberà del Vallès, some 20 km from Barcelona. The new facilities will comprise five production lines, three of which will be up and running this year. An estimated 70 new workers will be taken on to manufacture the new products.

Jesús Acebillo, president of Novartis in Spain announced that the investment had finally gone through due to the fact that the Spanish government had at last approved payment by local health authorities to suppliers, wiping out long standing hospital debts to pharma companies in the country. It is expected that within a few weeks the first batches of the brands Onbrez and Foradil will start rolling out. These are products used to treat asthma and chronic obstructive lung disease.

“The decision adopted to adjudicate production of these medicaments to Barberà has been an important step, as these are much more advanced and innovative pharmaceutical products, which thereby ensures the future of production here at the plant following the loss of patents of some products manufactured here,” explained Mr, Acebillo.

Source: Expansión, 15/2/2013