TOKYO, December 17, 2009_Ube Industries, Ltd. today announced that has decided on plans to construct its fourth pharmaceutical manufacturing facility. The new facility will position the Company to respond to future increases in demand for its active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and intermediates business.
The planned API manufacturing facility will comply with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and is expected to be completed in July 2011. Following a period of trial production, Ube Industries expects to launch commercial production in November 2011. The new facility will be constructed within the grounds of the Ube Chemical Factory and will adjoin the third pharmaceutical manufacturing facility, which has been operational since 2004.
Ube Industries has developed its API and intermediates business with the construction of the Ube Pharmaceutical Plant in 1995, which has been successively expanded in 1998 and 2004. Ube Industries currently provides contract manufacturing services for drug companies, including APIs for anti-inflamatory, and antihypertensive agents, and intermediates for cholesterol reducing agents and anticancer agents. In addition, Ube Industries manufactures APIs for proprietary drugs, comprising an antiallergic agent, antihypertensive agent and antiplatelet agent, for supply to partner drug companies.
The decision to embark on the latest expansion is driven by projected future growth in demand for APIs, and increasing orders for contract manufacturing of APIs and intermediates, necessitating that Ube Industries expand its production capabilities.
In the pharmaceuticals segment, Ube Industries is pursuing API manufacturing business both for UBE/pharma co-development API and for solely for pharma customers as custom manufacturer. The contract pharmaceuticals business is based on a CMC* framework for development, manufacturing, quality assurance and quality control. Ube Industries is aiming for future growth of both its proprietary drug business and contract pharmaceuticals manufacturing business.
| Construction Details | Total floor area of 1,600 m2, six-story steel frame autoclaved lightweight concrete (ALC) construction |
|---|---|
| Major Features | Thirteen reactors (including vessels), four filtration machines, two centrifugal separators, three dryers, clean room |
