Haupt eyes Italian opportunities with Pfizer site

By Nick Taylor

- Last updated on GMT

Related tags European union

Haupt Pharma has acquired Pfizer’s production facility in Latina, Italy, which moves the contract manufacturer into antibiotics and allows it to provide additional services to clients.

The acquisition of the facility brings the number of sites owned by Haupt up to 11 and allows it to expand its operations in Italy, which the company has identified as a growth area for generics.

In addition to the extended geographic reach the site offers Haupt the capacity to produce hormones, cytotoxics and beta-lactams, which allows it to offer penicillin and cephalosporin manufacturing services to clients.

Hans-Christian Semmler, chairman of Haupt Pharma, said: “Through the acquisition of the Latina plant with its state-of-the-art facilities and highly qualified staff, we are well positioned to significantly expand our international market position​.

In Italy, we are expecting a considerable increase in demand for generic medicaments within the next ten years. Moreover, our new beta-lactams competence centre in Latina enables us to complete our product portfolio and to improve our competitive advantages​.”

Pfizer employed 450 people at the site and Haupt has indicated its desire to retain all staff. In addition Haupt will continue to manufacture products for Pfizer on a contract basis.

Italian generics market

The Italian generics market has traditionally made up a smaller proportion of the nation’s total pharmaceutical sales than other European nations, owing to the extended national patent supplementary certificates in place.

This restricted the sale of generics in Italy for a long time after the product had come off patent in other European countries.

Consequently the market was valued at $809m in 2007, according to a report by Espicom Business Intelligence​, which is less than in Portugal despite total pharmaceutical sales in Italy being six times as much.

However, the market is predicted to grow to $1.8bn by 2012 as big products come off patent and efforts to revise the laws covering generics gain pace.

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