Pharmaceutical and biologics company AstraZeneca has unveiled a new $224m worth production and packaging plant in Kaluga, Russia.
The investment is said to be the largest foreign investment in the construction of a new pharmaceutical facility in the country.
The Kaluga plant is scheduled to become completely operational in 2017 and it will focus on final-stage manufacturing, packaging and quality control.
This facility is capable of producing close to 40 million packs and 850 million tablets of some 30 medicines every year.
The production capacity represents more than 60% of AstraZeneca's medicines marketed in Russia to treat diseases across the company's therapy areas.
AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot said: "Our new dedicated production facility will support our efforts to bring innovative medicines from our exciting pipeline to patients in Russia.
"This opening builds on our investments in clinical research and scientific collaborations in this important country and serves to reinforce our long term commitment to Russia."
The addition of the new plant is in line with the expansion of AstraZeneca's global manufacturing capabilities to meet the increasing demand for the company's expanding portfolio of medicines.
AstraZeneca recently invested in biologics manufacturing operations in Sweden, acquired a new site in Boulder, Colorado, US, and expanded in Frederick, Maryland, US.
The company currently employs over 1,400 people across commercial, manufacturing, scientific and clinical research and enabling functions in Russia.
Around 50 of AstraZeneca's medicines are licensed for sale in Russia.
Image: The new facility is capable of producing close to 40 million packs annually. Photo: courtesy of AstraZeneca.
