SANTO LAUNCHES A NEW PLANT FOR THE PRODUCTION OF SOLID ORAL MEDICATIONS

As a part of the celebration of the 135-year anniversary of SANTO’s factory in Shymkent on the 8^th of September 2017, an official opening ceremony took place for the new plant of solid oral medications. The launch of the new plant with the capacity of 200 million tablets a year is the latest victorious stage of a massive investment program, systematically implemented in the company by the investor Polpharma Group.

Distinguished guests – the primary shareholders of SANTO, representatives of the governments of Poland and Kazakhstan, local officials, colleagues and partners from related businesses, and also other invited guests and media participated at the festive event, which coincided with the company’s illustrious jubilee.

The new plant was built in accordance with the requirements of GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) for the production of pharmaceutical products. On the line, modern equipment was installed, and the personnel were trained on the best manufacturing sites of Polpharma Group. The plant is starting up under the existing long-term contract with “SK-Pharmaceuticals” for the provision of medications. The completion of construction of the new plant for the production of solid dosage forms for the cost of 13.5 million US dollars is an important part of the investment project in Shymkent. Due to the support of the government and authorities of the South Kazakhstan Region, SANTO has a guaranteed volume of purchases of its medicines. The good investing climate and participation in a government order allowed the company to continue the realization of the largest investment project in the history of the domestic pharmaceutical industry.

“Today we are launching a new plant of sold oral medications. This is already the third new plant since 2011 in our factory, which was built in accordance with the GMP international quality standards. Our company is moving forward toward our intended target – the construction of an innovative pharmaceutical sector in Kazakhstan. Our medicines are effectively used in outpatient and inpatient medical facilities in Kazakhstan and neighboring countries. We are proud that another project has successfully been completed in the stable and breakthrough growth of SANTO,” said the Chief Executive Officer of the company Jiri Urbanec during the opening ceremony.

“I’m glad to note that SANTO Company at the threshold of its 135 anniversary launched a new plant. This step yet again demonstrates the leadership of the company in the Kazakhstan market and affirms that the quality, safety, and effectiveness of the manufactured products remain an important priority in its activity,” said Jerzi Starak, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Polpharma Group.

It bears reminding that in accordance to the investment program at the enterprise: new manufactory of medicines in ampoules, the manufactory of infusion solutions in bags and bottles, two plants for the release of anti-biotic powders has already been launched, and also a warehouse of ready products and research and test center, a laboratory of quality control, infrastructure were modernized, and a new boiler house was built. The overall cost of the planned investment up to 2020 exceeds 108 million US dollars. To date, 70 million US dollars have been invested.

It is noteworthy that the opening of the new plant is taking place on the eve of the celebration of the 135-year anniversary of the factory, symbolizing new prospects and horizons, opening before the leader of the pharmaceutical industry of Kazakhstan. Today SANTO Company is the longest-standing of the active pharmaceutical manufacturers in the countries of the EEU and in the world. The enterprise was established in 1882, passed through a many-year period of growth, from the manufacture of the medicine santonin on the basis of santonica endemic to South Kazakhstan, to the leading manufacturer of substances from plant raw materials for needs of all pharmaceutical factories of the former Soviet Union. The factory was also one of the primary suppliers of technical morphine for the needs of the front during the years of WWII. After 1993 the factory was converted to JSC and moved to the production of officinal medicines. In doing so, the company began the realization of strategic decisions for the provision of the medicinal and national safety of the country.

Today SANTO Company produces every third medicine for the treatment of serious diseases and therapy, which, within the framework of the State volume of free medical care, is delivered to medical institutions in Kazakhstan. Modernization and transfer of the company's activities to international quality standards helps to improve the overall level of the pharmaceutical industry in Kazakhstan, bringing new standards and a better world experience to the formation of the competitive product portfolio of the domestic company.

ABOUT SANTO:                                                                               

SANTO Member of Polpharma Group is the trade mark of Chimpharm JSC (KASE: CHFM). The Company develops, manufactures and supplies the markets in Kazakhstan and in Central Asia with accessible high-quality pharmaceutical products. The production capacities of the Company allow manufacturing of 1.2 bln. tablets, capsules and granules, 300 mln. ampoules, 40 mln. vials of antibiotics and 6 mln. infusion packs and vials annually. The company is the leader of the Kazakh pharmaceutical market with its portfolio including over 200 generics in 12 therapeutic categories for the treatment of diseases in various therapeutic fields. SANTO Company is the responsible employer for over 1000 employees in Shymkent and other regions within the Republic of Kazakhstan. The Company develops export of its products into countries such as Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Russia, and Ukraine.

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