Capacity Doubled For Marine-Derived Pharmaceutical

Danish firm Pronova BioPharma announced recently that it is to double manufacturing capacity for its marine-derived active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), following increased demand for its omega-3 based drug. Work on the new facility is due to begin, with the plant expected to be operational and approved by regulators by the first half of 2010. The company is investing NOK1.45-1.7bn (€189-222m) on the brand new plant in Kalundborg, Denmark, which will contribute an additional 1,200 tonnes of active ingredient per year and will be fitted out with the same technology and will have the same structure as Pronova’s existing site in Sandefjord. Both production facilities are used to manufacture the API for the company’s Omacor product (Lovaza in the US), which is the first and only EU and US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved omega-3 derived prescription drug according to the company, and is prescribed to treat elevated levels of triglycerides, a condition known as hypertriglyceridemia (HTG). Also, the drug has been approved in Europe for patients having just suffered a heart attack.

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