NextPharma and Takeda announce Future of Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Site in Asker, Norway
ASKER, Norway, September 6, 2022 – NextPharma has entered into an agreement for the acquisition of the Takeda (TSE:4502/NYSE:TAK) manufacturing site in Asker, Norway. With the closing of the transaction which is expected in March 2023 approximately 170 manufacturing employees will transfer to NextPharma, a leading European pharmaceutical Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization. Today, almost all of the facility's production is for third parties such that the production site serves as a contract manufacturing operation. This service line is core for NextPharma and not for Takeda. For Takeda, the divestment is part of a broader strategy in utilizing synergies in the Takeda manufacturing network and focusing on its core therapeutic areas - rare diseases, gastroenterology, neuroscience, oncology – and plasma-derived therapies and vaccines.
The Asker site has operated for more than 50 years and produces a broad portfolio of strengths and flavors of calcium/vitamin D3 chewable tablets. It was acquired by Takeda in 2011.
Eduardo Montanha, Senior Vice President, Head of Small Molecules Operating Unit, Takeda, says: “We are pleased to announce the divestment of the Asker plant to NextPharma to whom all of our existing Asker employees will transfer. In NextPharma, we believe we have found the most suitable owner for the site, offering a great fit for our Asker facility and team. We sincerely thank the team in Asker for its work and dedication in the past years and always putting our customers and patients in the center of what they do.”
Peter Burema, CEO of NextPharma, comments: “We are excited at the prospect of adding a world-class manufacturing site and new center of excellence for chewable tablets to our operational network, allowing us to further broaden our technology offering for both existing and new customers. These technologies, combined with the know-how and expertise of the site’s employees, would continue to benefit patients across the world. On behalf of NextPharma, I look forward to welcoming our future colleagues, and I am confident that together we will continue to further develop and grow NextPharma as a leading and wellrespected European CDMO.
NextPharma offers specialized CDMO (Contract Development and Manufacturing) services in oral and topical (including sterile ophthalmic) finished dosage forms to a broad base of global pharmaceutical customers. With this intended acquisition, NextPharma plans to continue providing excellent levels of quality and service delivery to the site’s existing customers, in addition to developing and broadening its technology offering into chewable tablets. NextPharma and Takeda plan to work closely together with the site’s employees and customers over the coming months to ensure a successful transition.
Bjørn Lie, over 30 years with the company and head of the manufacturing site at Asker comments: “Takeda continuously invested in the site and its people. With the sale we are confident that Takeda has chosen a buyer who will nurture and grow production at the Asker site. We are excited about the longterm future at Asker and look forward to joining NextPharma which has an excellent reputation in the CDMO business. The sale of the site is a logical step both for Takeda and for Asker as a manufacturing site, since we only manufacture products which are outside of Takeda’s strategic product portfolio.”
Takeda’s commercial organization in Norway will continue its efforts to serve patients. Moving forward, the commercial organization will strengthen its focus on developing Takeda as a leading rare disease company in Norway.
Duarte Marchand, Norway's commercial head, comments: "As a top 10 pharmaceutical company in Norway, Takeda remains highly committed to its commercial operations which have been growing through the launch of innovative products over the past years. The commercial organization will continue to provide treatments from Takeda’s products and ensure access to medicines for patients in need for those treatments. As the manufacturing operations and the commercial organization are already separate business units, we ensure a disruption-free service for patients in Norway. And we aim to further strengthen our strategic focus on patients with the highest medical needs.”
