GE Healthcare has announced that Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories will be installing India’s first-ever FlexFactory, a single-use manufacturing platform to expand the biologics production capacity at its facility in Hyderabad, India.
FlexFactory will make Dr. Reddy’s biopharmaceutical manufacturing set-up more flexible and efficient, strengthening the company’s position in the global biosimilars market and allowing Dr. Reddy’s to continue increasing patient access across the world for biotech-based therapies.
The new FlexFactory will help Dr. Reddy’s increase its capacity to meet both the expected growth of its currently marketed biosimilars, as well as support the launch of a significant portfolio of new biosimilar products in the years to come.
With FlexFactory, Dr. Reddy’s will be able to increase its manufacturing capacity swiftly as the overall project set-up timeline for FlexFactory is typically nine to 12 months.
FlexFactory enables Dr. Reddy’s transition from stainless steel to single-use technologies that bring enhanced flexibility and efficiency into their manufacturing set-up. Single-use technologies facilitate multi-product manufacturing and improve productivity by increasing the number of lots manufactured, as the change over time between products can be reduced by 50% or more.
Head of biologics at Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Cartikeya Reddy said: “We are delighted to be working with GE Healthcare to expand our biologics manufacturing footprint. We strongly believe that the FlexFactory platform from GE will enable us to rapidly ramp-up capacity and serve more patients in both emerging markets and highly regulated markets.”
Country manager of South Asia at GE Healthcare Life Sciences Milind Palsule said: “We are pleased to partner with Dr. Reddy’s in their efforts to increase the availability and affordability of biopharmaceuticals globally by bringing single-use, flexible manufacturing capacity to its facility in Hyderabad. India today has one of the fastest growing biopharma sectors in the world and we are keen to support this development and the production capability of Indian pharma players with the latest biopharma technology and know-how.”
About FlexFactory
GE Healthcare’s FlexFactory is a centrally automation integrated, flexible biomanufacturing platform. It allows manufacturers to quickly and seamlessly establish biopharmaceutical manufacturing capacity within an existing building or as part of a new facility.
FlexFactory is designed to help manufacturers such as Dr. Reddy’s to rapidly respond to regional healthcare needs to quickly bring lifesaving treatments to the global market.
This unique manufacturing platform is currently in operation throughout the world including Asia, Europe, and the US, offering a consistent platform for collaboration or transplant to other facilities. GE Healthcare’s Fast Trak Center has sites across the world including Bangalore. It will be providing training on FlexFactory equipment and technologies for Dr. Reddy’s personnel.
FlexFactory is primarily comprised of single-use technologies and associated process hardware and integrated with automation and control components for start-to-finish manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals.
Depending on current processes, FlexFactory can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 75% and water and energy usage by approximately 80%.
Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories is an integrated pharmaceutical company, committed to providing affordable and innovative medicines for healthier lives. Through its pharmaceutical services and active ingredients; global generics; and proprietary products businesses, Dr. Reddy’s offers a portfolio of products and services including active pharmaceutical ingredients (API), custom pharmaceutical services, generics, biosimilars, and differentiated formulations.
The company’s major therapeutic areas of focus are gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, diabetology, oncology, pain management, and dermatology. Dr. Reddy’s operates in markets worldwide and its major markets include the US, India, Russia, Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries, and Europe.