Japan's Toyobo to increase capacity for injectables, eyeing biosimilars

Japanese conglomerate Toyobo (TYOO: 3101) has outlined plans for its biosciences segment, which includes increasing its production capacity for injectables at its contract manufacturing of pharmaceutical facility in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture.

Involving an investment of around 1.2 billion yen (78.9 million), injectables production capacity is to be increased to 1,800 vials/hour of injectable aseptic fillings and a related freeze drying machine. Work is due to start in January 2013, with completion due by the end of the year.

Explaining its plans, the company notes that, along with the increase in adult-onset diseases around the world, the pharmaceutical industry has developed many types of new drugs, focusing around low-molecular weight compounds. However, because of the increasing difficulty of developing new pharmaceuticals and the expiration of the patents on major drugs around 2010, pharmaceutical companies are concentrating on developing effective biopharmaceuticals, or biosimilars, for use in the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases. Looking to the future, the world drug market is forecast to show continued expansion of about 20% annually, it noted.