Global
bio-pharmaceutical giant, Switzerland-based Lonza, has announced to invest
USD 150 million (Rs 750 crores, approx.) for two major projects
inGenomeValleylocated at the outskirts of Hyderabad.
Hyderabad|India|May'2009:Global bio-pharmaceutical giant,
Switzerland-based Lonza, has announced to invest USD 150 million (Rs 750
crores, approx.) for two major projects inGenomeValleylocated at the
outskirts of Hyderabad. Lonza Group (SWX: LONN) is a 100-year-old USD 2.5
billion Swiss chemical and biotechnology company based at Basel.
Chairman and Managing Director of Andhra
Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation, Mr.
BP Acharya, announced the investment during the
India Evening session held at India Pavilion at
the international biotech conference BIO
inAtlanta,USA.
Concurrent with this announcement, Mr. Acharya released copies of the
allotment letters issued to M/s Lonza in the Genome Valley SEZ and Phase
II Biotech Park for R&D and bio-pharmaceutical manufacturing facility.
“This is one of the largest investments in recent times in the
bio-pharmaceutical sector inIndiaand marks the emergence ofIndia, in
general, andGenomeValley, in particular, as a preferred destination for
global bio-pharmaceutical companies,” said Mr. Acharya.
“This is an achievement of Bio Asia, the global bio-business forum,
andGenomeValleyto draw such companies as Lonza toHyderabad. The ultimate
motive of Bio Asia is knowledge sharing and business development. We are
committed to such developments and hope that we will be able to strike
such chords of success in Bio Asia 2010,” said Dr. BS Bajaj, Secretary
General, FABA. Dr. Bajaj announced the launch of Bio Asia 2010 to be held
atHyderabadfrom February 3rdto February 6th2010. The brochure and CD for
Bio Asia 2010 were released by Mrs. Banashri Bose Harrison, Minister
(Commerce), Embassy of India, US. Mr. S. Suryanarayana, Director General,
ABLE; Dr. S. Langer, Director Biotechnology ofJohns Hopkins University,USA;
were among the others present at the occasion.
Mr. Stefen Borgas, CEO of Lonza, had visitedGenomeValleyduring Bio Asia
2009. Mr. Borgas was impressed by the talent pool, scientific culture and
the infrastructure facilities available at theGenomeValley– the first
world-class biotechnology cluster inIndia. “I think the Indian industry is
positioned very well, having built up a significant pool of scientists
servicing the global pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry,” Mr.
Borgas had said.
Lonza has chalked out the development of its facility in two phases as
enumerated below:
Phase I (Operational 2011 to 2013):
- R&D labs for 100+ staff. Facility for tissue/cell isolation, cell
culture and expression techniques, bio services, labs for biologics and
bioinformatics.
- Microbiological application labs and formulation development for
microbial control for injectables.
- Small-scale multi-purpose manufacturing plant for
biopharmaceuticals.
- Small-scale bio-therapeutic media manufacturing plant.
Phase II (Operational 2014 to 2015):
- Expanded media manufacturing capacity for bio-therapeutic media.
- Additional R&D lab capacity for biologics (200 people approx.).
- Expanded large-scale manufacturing plant for biopharmaceuticals.
- Additional support functions.
Reachout's News Bureau
May' 2009
