In line with the strategic goal of improving its share of high intellectual value intensive production and taking advantage of a sound knowledge in the field of large scale fermentation procedures the Company has entered into the development of biosimilar research and manufacturing capacities. Following the acquisition in 2007 in Germany of a manufacturing unit dedicated towards the development of bacterial fermentation together with a related pilot plant and laboratory, Richter announced in 2008 a greenfield investment to be carried out in the Hungarian city of Debrecen aimed at the manufacturing of biosimilar products by means of mammalian cell fermentation. Construction of an office building was completed during 2010 together with major units of the manufacturing process (fermentation, buffer preparation, media preparation). A test function of the energy supply system was carried out during 2010. Capital expenditure related to research, development and manufacturing of biological products in Hungary amounted to HUF 7,431 million (EUR 26.9 million) in 2010.
The plant is expected to be operational in 2012.
