GSK moves more production to Poland

2010-01-10



GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) will shift some of the production of Avodart, an urology drug, from France to its Polish factory in Poznan in a project worth PLN 70m (approx. €17m), the global pharma firm has informed. According to Jerzy Toczyski, CEO of GSK’s Polish unit, the move reflects cost considerations, but also the factory’s reputation as one of the most efficient GSK plants in Europe.
The Poznan facility is to ultimately supply the medicine to about 80 markets worldwide. GSK is planning substantial investments in upgrading and expanding the factory, so that it has the capacity to put out approximately 600,000 capsules of the drug per year. Full commercial production of Avodart in Poznan is scheduled to begin in January 2011.
GSK has already invested PLN 417m (€102m) in the Poznan plant since acquiring the then-Polfa Poznan from the state in 1998. Over this period the factory has introduced more than 100 new medicines. Mr. Toczyski stressed that the company was also investing in its logistics infrastructure for serving foreign markets, as well as in clinical trials. Poznan is also home to GSK’s global IT centre and its R&D unit participates in multinational research projects.