AsianScientist (Sep. 11, 2011) – Bangalore-based Indian biotech company Biocon Limited held a project commencement ceremony yesterday for its biopharmaceutical manufacturing and R&D facility in Bio-XCell, a biotechnology park and ecosystem in Iskandar Malaysia, Johor.
Johor Chief Minister Abdul Ghani Othman unveiled the plaque commemorating the project’s initiation.
“The world-class infrastructure, fiscal and financial incentives, and the initiatives of the State Government of Johor to promote bio-manufacturing, make Johor a compelling destination for establishing our global scale manufacturing facility for biopharmaceuticals,” said Biocon Chairman and MD Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw.
“This facility will cater to the global requirements for Biocon’s range of Biosimilar insulin and insulin analogs for diabetes treatment, being commercialized by Pfizer Inc.,” he said.
In the first phase, Biocon proposes to invest around US$161 million in this facility, which is targeted to be operational by 2014. The investment is the largest for the Malaysian healthcare biotechnology sector to date.
The project will also focus on R&D and production of other products at a later phase. The plant will be built in compliance with US FDA cGMP standards.
Biocon signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Malaysian Biotechnology Corporation SdnBhd (BiotechCorp) on January 22, 2010 to establish the facility.
“Biocon’s entry into Bio-XCell will further stimulate growth for the sector, providing commercial opportunities for Malaysian biotechnology’s small and medium enterprises and promote a more vigorous domestic direct investment,” said Dato’ Dr. Mohd Nazlee Kamal, Chairman of Bio-XCell and CEO of BiotechCorp.
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Source: Biocon Limited.
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