• Investment of EUR 175 million reaffirms Sandoz commitment to long-term leadership in off-patent medicines
• New penicillin production process will significantly improve ecological footprint and help secure European-based supply
• Cutting-edge development hub will play key role in supporting long-term growth of leading biosimilar busines

The inauguration of a new facility for production of penicillin at Kundl, Austria, and a new biosimilar development center in Holzkirchen, Germany, reaffirm the dual Sandoz commitment to ensuring sustainable access to quality antibiotics and spearheading development of biosimilars.

Sandoz has the only major remaining vertically-integrated production network for penicillins in Europe; penicillins are the leading category of antibiotics worldwide. The EUR 150 million Kundl investment, which includes a contribution of EUR 50 million from the Austrian federal government, represents a significant upgrade of penicillin API (active pharmaceutical ingredient) manufacturing.

Richard Saynor, CEO Sandoz said: "These investments strengthen our industrial presence in Europe, reinforce our commitment to environmental responsibility, and reaffirm our determination to be the world's leading and most valued generics and biosimilars company. Antibiotics are the backbone of modern medicine and the Kundl plant is a testament to the resilience of European manufacturing. The new development center in Holzkirchen will become a global hub for biosimilar expertise."

The EUR 25 million Holzkirchen investment will pave the way for the German site to become the leading Sandoz analytical characterization center for biosimilars.

The Austrian federal and Bavarian state governments have been highly supportive of these projects, recognizing their importance for ensuring availability of medicines and advancing medical research in Europe.