Humedix, a subsidiary of Huons Global specializing in the development of high value-added new drugs, dedicated its second factory in a ceremony Wednesday.
The plant, located in Jecheon, North Chungcheong Province, can produce 100 million ampoules, 50 million vials, 20 million pre-filled syringes and 10 million fillers, annually.
The 48 billion-won ($43.9 million) factory has received good manufacturing practice (GMP) approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) and is more than four times larger than the first factory, which the company expects will resolve the capacity problem at the first plant.
The company plans to produce Elravie Premier, a hyaluronic acid filler, and High Hyal Plus Injection, an arthritis treatment, at the second plant, while flexibly coping with the release of new disposable arthritis treatments and fillers. The company will also expand contract manufacturing organization (CMO) supply of ampoules and vial injections to reach a global sale of 200 billion won by 2020.
To reach its goal, the factory has installed a free-field type filling line and packaging that can charge high-viscosity solutions and machines covering injection formulations to produce its products efficiently. The plant also holds an automatic warehouse system for advanced logistics.
“The company believes that all of the products made at the second plant are the best in Korea regarding raw materials, technology, productivity, and quality,” CEO Jeong Gu-wan said. “In particular, as the second factory has been completed with cGMP level in mind, we expect to become a global cosmetics healthcare company that will enrich human life beyond the bio-biotechnology sector.”
Huons Global, the holding company of Humedix, also showed enthusiasm about the opening of its affiliate’s second plant.
“Humedix was deep in debt when Huons Global acquired the company in 2010,” said Yoon Sung-tae, vice-chairman of Huons Global. “However, the company has grown so much in the past seven years that they now have a second factory.”
Huons Global expects that Humedix will become a foundation for the future development of the company with its expertise in hyaluronic acid-based polymer and cosmetics, Yoon added.