UCB Pharma to establish contract manufacturing in Russia

Belgium-based biopharmaceutical manufacturer UCB Pharma (Euronext Brussels: UCB) has signed an agreement with Binnofarm, one of Russia's largest developers and producers of genetically-engineered medical products, on the packaging and further production of UCB drugs at Binnofarm’s factory in Moscow’s Zelenograd.

Under the terms of the deal, initially, Binnofarm will focus on the packaging of UCB drugs, mostly pills, with the possibility of their further production. According to some Russian analysts, in the middle term the Russian company may start production of UCB products such as the cerebral vasodilator Nootropil (piracetam), antiallergic Xyzal (levetiracetam) and the anti-epileptic Keppra. (levetiracetam). By 2015 the plant is expected to produce up to 7.5 million packages of drugs annually, and Binnofarm will start their marketing and sales.

According to UCB Pharma CIS, currently Russia is considered by the company as one of the most promising countries for its further development, due to the rates of growth of the local market, which are estimated at 15% this year and the ever growing support of the state.