Chugai to build new API plant

Japan’s Chugai Pharmaceutical (TYO: 4519) plans to construct a new manufacturing facility for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) for clinical studies at its Fujieda Plant (Fujieda-shi, Shizuoka).

The purpose is to newly establish the manufacturing capability of middle molecule APIs for clinical studies in Chugai, as well as to enhance the supply capacity of small molecule APIs for clinical studies. This will not only accelerate the development of small and middle molecule drugs, but also reduce manufacturing costs. In addition, the number of high-potency APIs has been increasing in Chugai. Therefore, in order to ensure the safety of the environment and our researchers, advanced containment technologies will be adopted.

This investment for the new building will strengthen the process development speed and supply capacity of small and middle molecule drugs to obtain competitive advantage. Chugai, which s majority-owned by Swiss pharma giant Roche (ROG: SIX), aims to quickly deliver innovative new drugs to patients worldwide. The cost of the investment was not disclosed.