NextPharma, a European contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), has acquired a manufacturing facility in Tampere, Finland from Santen SA.
 
The acquisition is expected to be completed in the summer of 2019. The companies are entering into a strategic partnership that will see NextPharma take over production of Santen products in the Tampere facility.
 
NextPharma will be taking over the fully staffed site with 181 employees involved in manufacturing and its support functions, including quality control, quality assurance, IT and administration. A large number of Santen employees in Finland not necessarily linked to manufacturing or its functions, such as sales and marketing, R&D, regulatory, quality assurance, pharmacovigilance, human resources, IT and administration will not be affected by the acquisition.
 
“Since 1997, Santen has benefited tremendously from the expertise and commitment of our colleagues here in Tampere, which has contributed so significantly to the growth of the Santen business in the region,” said Katri Outinen, managing director, Santen Oy. “We are pleased that through the acquisition of the site by NextPharma, we both increase the flexibility and efficiency for Santen’s supply chain and at the same time generate an exciting future for our people by becoming the center of excellence for ophthalmology and blow fill seal technology (BFS) within the NextPharma manufacturing network. Santen’s goal of securing sustainable growth as a specialized pharmaceutical company with a global presence is now one step closer.”
 
Peter Burema, chief executive officer, NextPharma, said, “This is an important
moment for NextPharma as a leading European CDMO. Through this acquisition, Tampere will add ophthalmology manufacturing and sterile BFS technology and will provide an excellent extension to our six other manufacturing sites in Europe, each of them with their own specific technologies and/or therapeutic classes of medicine. The extensive experience that the Santen team will bring is key to the continuity of production of the highest quality products, and we are eager to welcome them to the NextPharma family.”