Press Room

Contrary to what some would have you believe, the use of substandard APIs in European medicines puts patient health and pharmaceutical manufacturers' reputations at risk. Most APIs destined for the EU come from Asian plants that have never been inspected by an EU official. To ensure a minimum level of quality, agencies and regulators from both sides of the Atlantic must work together to provide API compliance oversight. Read article here

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Pharmaceutical Technology Europe, June, 2009

Substandard APIs: we must tackle the problem together

Jun 01, 2009

PharmaChemical Ireland is the leading representative body for the pharmaceutical and chemical manufacturing sectors in Ireland. A major business association within the Irish Business and Employers Confederation (IBEC), PharmaChemical Ireland has access to IBEC’s core support and research facilities, and has a full-time executive staff. We represent the manufacturers and distributors of pharmaceutical products and ingredients, and general chemical materials. Our membership is composed of leading global corporations and indigenous Irish companies. Nine of the top ten pharmaceutical corporations in the world have manufacturing plants in Ireland. Read article here

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PharmaChemical Ireland Presentation, April 2009

Why Ireland should be your location of choice

Apr 01, 2009

Private companies usually have their shareholders meet every Sunday lunch, shop talk is kept to a minimum so as not to offend the “in-laws” and siblings not involved in the business. Family owned companies are involved in management and get remunerated by far more than just dividends. The reputation that comes with a company that does well, that is a highly sought-after employer, that leads in innovation, in environmental thinking and international expansion, that does things right - rubs onto the family. For a family to be leading a business that is a role model brings a non-monetary compensation that makes this tight-knit group far richer than any stock market investor could ever be. Can you imagine the pride of a family where the business it owns addresses the capacity needs for the only paediatric HIV protease inhibitor? or the most innovative (avian) flu medicine? Full version of Family owned businesses article

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Chemistry Today, December 2008

Family Owned Businesses

Dec 01, 2008

Why this presentation? Almost 100 deaths have been traced to counterfeit heparin, probably a better data collection system would establish that many hundreds are now dead – not because of a regulatory failure but because of greed. Crime has been committed with premeditation and with recourse to science and industrial means – and nobody spells it out. and nobody spells it out. Did someone make millions in profit, and poisoned to death hundreds of weak, defenseless patients? hundreds of weak, defenseless patients? Is a police investigation underway? Penny wise, pound foolish – these events cost / will cost billions to several big companies – and damaged brands. Where a drug begins...  

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3rd EFCG Pharma Business Conference, 29 May 2008

Business of Counterfeit Heparin and its Implications

May 29, 2008

Independent Portuguese APIs producer Hovione has bought 75% of Hisyn Pharmaceutical in China's Zhejiang province, which had been supplying it with intermediates for some time. This transaction is already operational after the Zhejiang authorities issued the necessary business licence. With this buy come development laboratories in Shanghai and a 22,000m2 API facility on a nine-hectare plot, employing 181. Hovione will produce its two largest volume products here. The company said that the deal gives it...

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Speciality Chemicals, April 2008

Hovione buys first site in China

Apr 01, 2008

People from Pharmaceutical Business indicate this acquisition will assist to upgrade the Pharmaceutical business in TaiZhou. In 22nd February 2008 afternoon, Hovione FarmaCiencia SA completed the acquisition of the ZheJiang HiSyn Pharmaceutical Company Limited. This is the first Equity Joint Venture in Pharmaceutical field in ZheJiang Province Chemical and Medical Materials Base LinHai Park, showing a positive trend. “We have good expectation on the API manufacturers in TaiZhou, the cost and human resources advantage of the China API companies combined with our technical and marketing advantage will be a winning proposition. Our joint venture will produce a huge chemical reaction.” said by the CEO of Hovione, Mr. Guy Villax with smile. “Hovione” is a Portugal international company with 50 years of history, the main products are API manufacturing, and her products have higher market shares in EEC, USA and Japan. Hovione used 150 million to acquire 75% shares of HiSyn this time, and indicated that the management team will be kept unchanged after the acquisition and the increased investment will be to support HiSyn to meet the international standards. The development history of the TaiZhou pharmaceutical business is more than 40 years, is one of the key product line in our city. Since, the business structure; creative abilities; environment protection; utilities saving and the basic facilities investment of the pharmaceutical companies in our city are rather poor. So that, the development plan of the Taizhou pharmaceutical business (2007-2012) was indicated that until 2012 we will build up a pharmaceutical park with higher international competition, and emphasize to develop five big products during the period, starting the “139” project. As per people come from the pharmaceutical business, the entrance of the international pharmaceutical companies in TaiZhou, will provide direct, positive and incentive effect on the upgrading of the pharmaceutical business in TaiZhou. And as per the Administrative Committee, they will incent the current exiting companies to co-operate with the group companies both from China and international. Now, there have several companies are under negotiation with the foreign companies.

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TaiZhou Commercial Daily, 24 February 2008

An International Company of Portugal acquires a TaiZhou Pharmaceutical Company

Feb 24, 2008

Speech by Guy Villax on the occasion of the presentation of VPP Star plaque and flag Mr. Ambassador [Mr. Joao Salgueiro, Ambassador of the Republic of Portugal to the UN] Mr. Roskoski, [Mr. Gary Roskoski, Director- Marlton Area Office. OSHA]  Mayor Mironov, [Ms. Janice Mironov, Mayor of the Township of East Windsor]  Mr. Consul General [Mr. Francisco Azevedo, Consul General of Portugal in Newark] Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends I am very glad to be here with you. I would like to thank the kind words from Mr. Gary Roskoski, Director and Mr. Martin Davies both of OSHA, from Mayor Mironov. This is an important event for Hovione's Technology Transfer Center – we celebrate OSHA’s acceptance of our application to the VPP Star program. This acknowledgement of an impeccable HSE record is something that I see as a reflection of the TTC’s standards, of the quality of the management of this site, and in a way this marks the coming of age of the TTC. Indeed this site is only 5 years old – and this is the first time that we have the chance to stop, invite our guests and friends and take a moment to look back. It’s not been easy, but we’ve clearly moved to the next step. We have established the TTC as a member of an elite group – in the words of Edwin J. Foulke, Assistant Secretary of Labour – not just in HSE terms, but as a service provider of sophisticated R&D services to the pharma industry. This is the correct moment to say a few words of thanks. First to the East Windsor Township, its Mayor and Council – because they helped us decide to locate here, they welcomed us and told us “we’ll be as fast as you want provided you do it by the book!”. Then to CUH2A, our architects that turned a dream, Dave, Bill and I had into reality – or at least into a blueprint – many sushi lunches at figuring out how to make it the best. Turner and to Dion Hall of Eng Tech – for the hardware. Millennium BCP bank – supported us all the way, and together with BES, BPI and CGD financed this investment. The Consulate in Newark for endless stampings of endless papers. The universities – Rider, Rutgers and Princeton – that lend us a hand only too often, train our young people so they will lead us in the future. The Twin Rivers association – our neighbours… to whom we have tried very hard to be the opposite of a nuisance. Certainly our customers – because at the end of the day they are the reason why we exist and succeed – I will pick a few names – Neurocrine Biosciences – because they gave us our first business here; and CVT and Astellas because they bet on us for an important new product. I’d like to also thank all the Hovione people for their efforts and commitment in turning what back in 1999 and 2000 was but a dream – into a tangible reality that clients and competitors talk about, and journalists write about! Journalists have played an important role in our success - this is something we appreciate very much. All Hovione sites perform over and above the regulations, and all get awards and commendations – they work hard to be a welcome part of their communities; they are often picked as an example to follow. So when I saw the letter from OSHA in Washington I was particularly pleased, because it came as a surprise – I did not even know the TTC had made the application – and it shows that whether they be in China or in America – Hovione people have the same culture, and look to meet the toughest challenges, to meet the highest standards – not because it is mandatory, but because this is just the way we work. To achieve this means great team spirit, because Safety is everyone’s job – so cohesion and alignment are part of the whole process. This occasion is also a happy one because it marks an achievement, Diane and I are here, to share it with you – and to tell you how pleased we are to see after 50 years of hard work how we are able to get recognition for a job well done everywhere we go – and how this is the result of people that come from nearby, and from Macau, and from Portugal. Going forward we have a great challenge – to continue to meet the standard. We all want to retain the VPP Star status – but to keep it requires effort and commitment – one day of lost work will cause us to loose the status… so we need to work hard because from where OSHA has put us, we can only go down… so I count on you. Lastly I would like to give my congratulations to Dave that has led this project from its beginning and who should feel that all this is the achievement of a team he led, coached, pushed forward and got amazing results from. Congratulations to all of you for a great job well done – congratulations also to everyone else that worked here at the TTC, and may not be here to hear these words. Thank you – well done. Guy Villax  Chief Executive  East Windsor, 11th October 2007

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East Windsor, New Jersey, 11 October 2007

Speech by Guy Villax at the VPP Star Presentation

Oct 11, 2007

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