Sandoz Builds Biologics Plant in Slovenia
Sandoz, the generics and biosimilars arm of Swiss drugmaker Novartis, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding to build a biologics production plant in Lendava, Slovenia.
The company expects to invest at least $400 million in the project, which is intended to drive future growth in its global biosimilars portfolio. Sandoz said the project represents one of the largest-ever international private-sector investments in the country.
“This state-of-the-art site will be a major new jewel in the Sandoz crown, enabling us to meet growing demand for our current and future biosimilars in the mid- to long term,” said Glenn Gerecke, global head of technical operations. “The location offers us a strong combination of political stability, proximity to our existing European-based production and commercial operations, and competitive costs.”
Work on the new plant is set to start this year, with full operations provisionally planned for late 2026.
Last November, Sandoz announced it would invest an additional €50 million in expanding its European manufacturing capacity for finished dosage-form penicillins. The additional investment followed plans disclosed in May 2021 to invest more than €100 million in new manufacturing technology for producing oral amoxicillin API at its site in Kundl, Austria.
Sandoz also announced in 2021 that it was spending a further €50 million on sterile API production at Palafolls, Spain. To date, the company’s investments in its European antibiotics network total €250 million. Anti-infectives (primarily antibiotics) is Sandoz’ second-largest business after biopharmaceuticals.
Author: Elaine Burridge, Freelance Journalist
