A factory that will transfer the production of the active ingredient of paracetamol should begin operating during the first half of 2025 in Toulouse, the president of Ipsophène, the company promoting the project, Jean Boher, told AFP on Tuesday. Later it will be a matter of obtaining the necessary authorizations to be able to start marketing it before the end of next year, he added.
The installation of this factory of about 5,000 m2 near Oncopole, a few kilometers from the center of Toulouse, will lead to investments that will exceed slightly more than 30 million euros, according to Jean Boher, of which 4.2 million euros will be contributed by the region of Occitania. , the latter declared to AFP.
A “continuous production process never before applied in pharmacies” should make it possible to “reduce costs and remain competitive”, although the active ingredient of this factory must be between 30 and 40% more expensive than the imported one, continued Jean Boher .
“Critical” medications
“The pharmaceutical laboratories with which we have already spoken – and some of which have confirmed their interest in writing – are aware of this price difference, but they want to have part of their ‘supply’ locally and also with a molecule from an eco-friendly process.” -responsible (…) much less polluting than the one currently used,” he stated.
Paracetamol is part, along with antibiotics or morphine, of the first list published in December by the European Union of “critical” medicines for which it is essential to avoid interruptions in supply to guarantee their availability to patients.
The drug shortage is related to several factors, including the concentration of production of active ingredients in a few Asian countries, particularly China and India.
Source: BFM TV
