In our rapidly changing world, ensuring sustainable access to health care is becoming more and more important. This is why Teva Gyógyszergyár Zrt.’s recently completed strategic investment worth almost USD 23 million in Debrecen is particularly important, thanks to which, in addition to serving the needs of the world market, the company significantly increases the safety of drug supply both in Europe and worldwide. Among other things, the investment ensures the production of pharmaceutical active ingredients that are necessary for the production of vital preparations for organ transplant recipients.
Teva’s location in Debrecen, which has a history of 70 years, is a key part of the international pharmaceutical manufacturer’s global network thanks to the many developments of the past period, as well as the expertise and experience of the employees here. The active ingredients and finished products produced here help the recovery of millions of patients in many parts of the world. The recently concluded investment further strengthens the strategic role of Teva’s active ingredient production and supply activities in Debrecen.
“Teva’s commitment to safe patient care is demonstrated by this nearly USD 23 million projects, which is currently one of Teva’s most important and largest investments in the field of active pharmaceutical ingredient production worldwide. At the same time, this is the largest development of the Debrecen site in the past 15 years in terms of active ingredient production. We are proud to be increasingly providing active ingredients for medicines that help millions of patients in Europe and around the world,”
– said Gary Baker, Teva’s director of active ingredient production in Hungary.
The investment increases the capacity of the existing fermentation and extraction production plants at the Debrecen site. The converted plants, which use the most modern production technology, are already in operation: validation production started in the extraction department in the summer, and in the fermentation department at the beginning of October.
One of the most important elements of the project is that it expands the production of the basic component (active substance) of the drugs used to prevent organ rejection in transplant patients. In addition, the production of the active ingredient of antibiotics and antifungal preparations also begins in these plants.
The site in Debrecen was already considered one of Teva’s largest active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturing plants, the capacity of which has been significantly expanded with the current investment. The active ingredients that are produced here reach virtually all parts of the world, from the European Union to the United States and China to Thailand.
Since 2014, the government has supported 21 investments in the pharmaceutical industry for 482 million euros, the investments have created a thousand new jobs, the State Secretary responsible for bilateral relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade announced on Wednesday in Debrecen.
Tamás Menczer, at the handover of the completed, $23 million capacity expansion investment in the Debrecen factory of the Israeli-owned Teva company group, pointed out that Israel is the eighth largest investor in Hungary with an investment value of $3,900 million.
He added that the Hungarian government responded to the economic challenges caused by the war in Ukraine and the “misguided EU sanctions” with, among other things, the factory rescue program, Teva also applied for support, and the assessment is in progress.
László Papp said that the more than 110-year-old pharmaceutical production is the traditional industry of the city, which still plays an important role in the economic life of the region. Teva, which has been operating in the city for almost thirty years and employs 1,700 workers, is currently the largest company in the city. The current investment also strengthens the role of the Debrecen factory in the global Teva group. (x)
