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A subsidiary of India's Strides Arcolab has begun construction of a $60 million biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Malaysia.
Stelis Biopharma, wholly owned by Strides, entered into a build-lease agreement with Malaysia's Bio-Xcell Biotechnology Park located in Nusajaya, Johor. The 140,000-square-foot facility is expected to be completed in the next two years, and will employ about 180 people when operating by mid-2017, the Business Standard reported.
The plant will be designed with "next-generation" single-use bioprocessing technology with both mammalian and microbial capabilities. The facility is expected to be one of only a handful of Regulated Market facilities in the region, the newspaper said, and will house a R&D unit. A company official told Business Standard that the plant will be able to produce bio-pharmaceuticals as well as meet demand for contract manufacturing and clinical supplies.
Stride completed the sale of its sterile injectables business Agila Specialties to Mylan ($MYL) for $1.75 billion last year.
Malaysia continues to draw new plants from manufacturers looking to expand their reach with its generous tax laws, incentives and its location considered prime for servicing Southeast Asia.
In an unrelated announcement last week, Strides said it entered into an agreement with Cipla and Medicines for Malaria Venture to develop a rectal artesunate for treating children with severe malaria.
- read the Business Standard story