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- Partners Neopharma & GSK have produced the first batch of medicines at the local Secondary Packaging stage

- 35,000 packages of the medicine were manufactured in three months, with plans to have them readily available on shelves for UAE patients in a month

Abu Dhabi, UAE, January 8, 2020

Neopharma, a leading global pharmaceutical company based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) the global science-led healthcare company, have announced the launch of the first-ever locally produced batch of medicines, as a result of their partnership to create localization and manufacturing opportunities in the UAE.
The partnership, announced in April 2019, established Neopharma as GSK’s third-party manufacturer for handling the secondary packaging process (the final manufacturing stage) for six of GSK’s most prescribed medicines in the UAE.
This first batch includes thirty-five thousand packages of medicines, which have been manufactured at Neopharma’s manufacturing plant in Abu Dhabi, with plans to have them readily available for UAE patients in a month.
The launch, which took place at Neopharma’s manufacturing site in Abu Dhabi, was attended by His Excellency Mohamed Al Hameli, Undersecretary of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, His Excellency Patrick Moody, the British Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Dr. B.R. Shetty, Founder and Chairman of Neopharma, Mr. Binay Shetty, Vice Chairman & CEO of BRS Ventures, and Mr. Sameh Elfangary, General Manager for GSK in the Gulf.

His Excellency Mohamed Hamad Al Hameli, Undersecretary of the Department of Health said “Abu Dhabi has set out to become a pharmaceutical research, development and manufacturing hub within the MENA region, and this is another great step forward in achieving this aim. In doing so, the country will be better placed to meet the needs of patients through improved access to locally produced medicines.”

The UK Ambassador to the UAE, His Excellency Mr. Patrick Moody said “The launch is a fantastic example of what UK and UAE companies can achieve together. It is bringing jobs and expertise to the UAE, as well as better services for patients. I congratulate the Abu Dhabi Department of Health and the UK Department for International Trade for their support in making this happen. It is another step forward in our shared ambition to work together to be global leaders in healthcare and life sciences.”

Dr. B.R. Shetty, Founder and Chairman of Neopharma said “It is wonderful to witness another landmark moment in our collaboration with GSK. We are delighted to partner with GSK to be able to provide local patients with better access to medicines. By manufacturing the medicine locally, Neopharma has reinforced its commitment to maintaining global quality and manufacturing standards that are complying with stringent regulatory requirements. In innovation science, we are focusing on debilitating metabolic diseases and immuno-oncology with over 200 scientists working at the Neopharma Japan site. This enables us to deliver innovative and quality products in a timely manner at affordable prices worldwide.
Today Neopharma is proud to be a vertically integrated pharmaceutical company with 10 manufacturing plants spread across the USA, Japan, Brazil and India. We manufacture Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients, Oral Finished Dosage Forms, Injectables, Beta Lactams and most of our facilities are approved by USFDA, European Union, ANVISA, PMDA Japan, GCC and other International regulatory authorities.

Sameh Elfangary, General Manager at GSK in the Gulf said “We are delighted to see the outcomes of our partnership with Neopharma already yielding results. As a result of this collaboration, the batch will reach UAE shelves two months earlier than planned. This is the most recent example of GSK’s commitment to ensuring a continuous supply of our high quality, safe, and reliable medicines for patients in the UAE to access.”

About Neopharma
Neopharma LLC, one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the MENA region with 100% subsidiaries in the USA, Japan, Brazil, and India. A vertically integrated business, comprising of API, R&D and Formulation facilities in emerging and regulated markets. Neopharma's global presence is supported by 10 manufacturing facilities spread across 4 continents delivering a wide range of branded and generic formulations, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), Contract Research and Manufacturing (CDMO) in the areas of acute and chronic therapies. Neopharma LLC is a part of the pharmaceuticals vertical of BRS Ventures, UAE’s leading Business House. For further information, log on to: www.neopharma.com

About GSK
GSK is a science-led global healthcare company with a special mission to help people do more, feel better, live longer. Globally and regionally, we have a proven track record for providing high-quality medicines, vaccines and consumer products. GSK has a 300-year global legacy and more than 70 years of local presence in the Gulf region. Today, GSK is one of the most innovative and best-performing companies in the region, providing medical well-being to millions of people in the region.

For Enquiries:
Neopharma LLC; Tel: +9712 550 1000
www.neopharma.com
neopharma@neopharma.com