Press Room

Press Release / Nov 05, 2001

Investment of 120 million MOP duplicates Hovione's production capacity in Macau

  • A total investment of 120 million MOP (15,6m Euros) duplicates production capacity of the Macau plant.
     
  • The inauguration of the expansion of the plant is scheduled for 9th November with the presence of the Chief Executive of Macau SAR, Dr. Edmund Ho.
     
  • Inaugurated in 1986, the plant in Macau accounts for one third of the company’s total production.
     
  • Exports to the USA, European Community, Japan and Australia.

Hovione has almost concluded an investment plan of 120 million MOP (15,6m Euros) for the expansion of its plant in Taipa, Macau. This investment will duplicate the production capacity of Hovione in Macau. This complex will be inaugurated on 9th November by the Chief Executive of Macau SAR, Dr. Edmund Ho. This investment, which began in 2000, demonstrates Hovione’s confidence in the future not only of its plant in Macau but also in the future of the territory. In order to assure future expansion of its activity, Hovione is studying various alternatives for upcoming investments in the Macau territory.

Hovione’s plant in Taipa, Macau, began its production of active pharmaceutical ingredients in December 1986 and was approved by the FDA the following year. The plant has today a total workforce of 150 professionals and manufactures Hovione’s most stable process products. The plant in Macau is responsible for one third of Hovione’s total production, and exports to the most demanding markets such as USA, EU, Japan and Australia.

Hovione is the Portuguese company that most contributes to health science, investigating and manufacturing with state-of-the-art technology and quality, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) of the last generation. Founded in 1959, Hovione has two synthesis plants, one in Loures (Portugal) and another in Macau, both US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved, and a Technology Transfer Center in New Jersey, USA. Hovione began its activity manufacturing generic products, developing in its laboratories proprietary synthetic processes. In the beginning of the 90’s, the company started the second branch of the business subcontracting exclusively to third parties. In the outsourcing business, Hovione develops all the technical services from laboratorial development to the regulatory filing for official approval and commercial manufacture, being today an essential link to the pharmaceutical international companies investigating new drugs.

With a professional team of a high scientific level, Hovione distinguishes itself from the competition by the quality of its products and its technical know-how in developing true industrial chemical processes for novel APIs. Among these products stands out the production of active ingredients used in drugs that combat HIV. As the largest R&D investor in the Portuguese pharmaceutical industry, Hovione has already developed more that 100 chemical synthesis processes and filed more than 500 patents all over the world, 400 of which are still effective.

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