Sandoz breaks ground on new European biosimilar plant

Render of the planned biosimilar manufacturing facility in Brnik, Slovenia. Credit: Sandoz

Sandoz has begun construction of a new biosimilars production facility in Brnik, Slovenia.

The $440 million centre will manufacture injectable sterile products, bringing the company’s total planned and ongoing investment in the country to over $1.1 billion before the end of the decade, by 2029.

The new high-tech facility will produce both existing and upcoming biosimilar medicines in Sandoz’s portfolio. The site will have a variety of manufacturing capabilities, including preparation, filling, assembly and packaging, in addition to quality control (QC) laboratories.

“… With a commitment of over $1.1 billion, we are proud to significantly expand our biosimilar manufacturing capacity in Europe as Slovenia’s largest direct foreign investor,” Richard Saynor, Chief Executive Officer of Sandoz commented.

Ensuring a reliable supply of biosimilars in Europe 

Build of Sandoz’s new biosimilars site in Slovenia aligns with its strategic plan to enhance its ability to provide high-quality, affordable biosimilars to patients across the globe. Moreover, the plant is intended to help Sandoz take advantage of the unique market opportunity, considering value of biosimilar patent expiries are expected to reach $222 billion over the next decade, based on IP databases; internal analysis and Evaluate Pharma, according to Sandoz.

“Our investment in biomanufacturing in the heart of Europe marks another important milestone in building our own independent manufacturing network – one that enhances our control, resilience and agility across the global supply chain,” Glenn Gerecke, Chief Manufacturing and Supply Officer at Sandoz shared.

The new facility in Slovenia aligns with the company’s commitment to in-house manufacturing, supporting its goal of developing an end-to-end leading European biosimilar hub. Sandoz also has ongoing investments in the country—a new biosimilar drug substance production centre in Lendava and a biosimilar development centre in Ljubljana.