This expansion comes on top of current production capacity.
Pharmaq intends to invest up to NOK 30 million in equipment and expertise development in connection with the new organisation. Production will be carried out by Pharmaq’s own employees as well as contracted personnel from the FHI.
The company will start to see the effects of its expansion of virus antigen production capacity in the second quarter of 2012. Organisation in the new premises will be completed by the end of the year. Initial production of virus antigen from this unit is expected early in 2012.
“The establishment of production in Oslo represents an important step forward for us,” says Managing Director Morten Nordstad at Pharmaq.
“Developments in recent years have demonstrated that a variety of virus components are incorporated in an increasing number of different vaccines. In 2010 alone we supplied almost 300 million vaccine doses containing different virus antigens."
"It is vital to us to consolidate our production capacity – both for existing virus antigens and for those which will be developed in the future. We also see it as important to develop flexible production approaches which will enable us to meet potential situations demanding rapid increases in production such as acute disease epidemics within the aquaculture industry,” he says.
“We are proud and happy that Pharmaq has chosen us as a collaborating partner for their important focus in Norway. The agreement with Pharmaq leads to a substantial enforcement of our competence and improved utility of our production capacity,” says Truls Simensen, Department Director at the Norwegian Institute for Public Health.
Products from the antigen production unit in Oslo will be developed into vaccines ready for use at Pharmaq’s facility in Nord-Trøndelag.
This new organisation will represent a considerable consolidation of Norwegian expertise in the field of virus antigen production. Developments in the use of anti-viral vaccines in the global aquaculture industry are accelerating rapidly, accompanied by a great need for new vaccines for new species. A production unit at the FHI – with close links to Pharmaq’s R&D facilities, which are also located in Oslo – will contribute towards the more rapid development of new virus antigens from the R&D stage to full production.
"Overall, this investment will strengthen our value chain and promote the development of new and effective quality products from Pharmaq,” says Morten Nordstad.
"We will need to strengthen our team as a result of this exciting new organisation, and will be inviting applications for vacant posts."
Pharmaq Expands Fish Vaccine Production Capacity
NORWAY - Pharmaq has entered into a long-term agreement with the Norwegian Institute for Public Health (FHI) for the lease of virus antigen production facilities in Oslo.
