Novartis and Teva announce expansion plans in Russia

Swiss drug major Novartis (NOVN: VX) has signed an agreement with RT-Biotechprom, one of Russia’s largest pharmaceutical and biotechnology producers, to establish production of an unnamed anti-myelosis drug in Russia, at RT-Biotechprom manufacturing facility.

At the same time Novartis has also announced the range of products that will be produced at its future $150 million Russian plant, which is currently under construction close to St Petersburg. In late 2010, Novartis announced it would invest $500 million in Russia over the next five years, in an attempt to strengthen its position there.

According to Sergei Zverev, an official representative of Novartis Russia, the company’s new plant will focus both on the production of a number of innovative products as well as generic drugs. Among the generics to be produced in St Petersburg are Ketonal, Biol, Fleksid, Persia and some others, while among the innovative products are Gielen, Afinitor and Sertikan. The majority of the new drugs will be used for the treatment of cardiovascular disease, as well as hypertension. There will also be some anti-infectious drugs.