
The subsidiary will be expanded to include, amongst other things, an integrated cell culture production, creating 190 new jobs. There originator biologicals from Novartis and biosimilars from Sandoz will be produced for the global market.
“Originator biologicals and biosimilars are the future of modern medicine. Novartis is a global leader in production and development in this field. Thanks to this investment we are even more pleased with the fact that the future of medicine will take place in Austria”, says Ard van der Meij, Country President of Novartis Austria.
Austrian quality for the world market
The Schaftenau plant is of major importance for Novelis due to the production of originator biologicals and biosimilars. This includes a focus product from Novartis pharmaceuticals for the therapy of psoriasis, psoriasis arthritis and Bektherev’s disease and two cost efficient Sandoz biosimilars. One of them is for the treatment of certain forms of blood cancer and immunological diseases, the other for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and other rheumatic illnesses. In 2014 and 2015, a global microparticle technology center and a state-of-the-art biologicals production for ready-to-fill syringes were open, and the production facilities were continuously expanded.