Bluepharma production plant will reduce dependence on Asia

  • Lusa
  • 1 March 2023

Bluepharma inaugurated in Coimbra, a production unit for powerful solid oral medication, in the oncology area. An investment of around 30 million euros that will create 100 jobs.

Portugal’s minister of the economy and maritime affairs on Wednesday considered that Bluepharma’s project, for which he inaugurated the first plant for the production of potent solid oral medicines, will reduce dependence on Asian countries.

“This project will allow us to have, on the borders of the European continent, the production chains for goods as critical as medicines. It is absolutely vital, because pandemics will repeat themselves, crises will repeat themselves, and the more resilient countries and economies are, and the better we plan for the future, the better we will overcome the challenges that lie ahead”, said António Costa Silva.

During the inauguration of Bluepharma’s production unit in Coimbra, the minister underlined that the pandemic was “a significant warning made to the entire human race” and that it also highlighted Portugal’s lack of production of some medicines.

“We discovered, at the height of the pandemic, that the country was no longer producing some of the active substances of medicines and some of the medicines for oncological therapies, and we so had a great dependence on some Asian countries,” he said.

Throughout his speech, the economy minister highlighted the importance of Bluepharma, a company that is competing in international markets, “in areas of high technology and that require a lot of quality”.

“Let’s not be under any illusion: in the global pharmaceutical industry only those who have quality are successful. This is a company of quality, of excellence, that invests in human resources, that qualifies people, that has an integrated approach throughout the chain,” he said.

In his opinion, for the Portuguese economy to grow significantly, it is necessary to “have bluepharmas in all sectors”.

“If we have companies that invest in innovation, quality, excellence, in their human resources, that know within the international markets exactly the segments in which it is possible to compete, everything is possible”, he concluded.

Bluepharma inaugurated today, in Eiras, Coimbra, a production unit for powerful solid oral medication, namely in the oncology area, “a unique factory in Portugal and one of the largest in Europe with these characteristics”.

The new unit represents an investment of around 30 million euros, will create 100 jobs and produce 300 million units of generic drugs per year.

The pharmaceutical group, made up of 20 companies, employs more than 750 employees.

In 2022 it exported around 90% of its production to more than 100 multinational companies in 40 countries.