PHARMA FOCUS//Drug FOCUS Formulation & Design
Approved to produce vital medicines Cipla has announced that its upgraded Mirren facility has been approved by SAHPRA to meet the high demand for critical medicine. This and the fact that its production is set to help grow the beleaguered economy, comes at a time when South Africa desperately needs good news. By Abby Vorster The upgraded Cipla Mirren facility
Continuing the quality mindset Cipla’s ethos is to ensure access to affordable, quality medicine. To drive this quality mindset, the company moved one of its leaders from the Cipla Medpro Manufacturing facility in Durban to Gauteng to take over the leadership position at the Cipla Mirren plant. This has seen a 67% increase in capacity at Cipla Mirren, which couldn’t have come at a more crucial time as the demand for immune boosters has gone through the roof. This is as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and with the imminent change of season to winter.
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S
ince Cipla acquired a 100%
“It took us exactly
stake in Mirren, the 35-year-
one year and one
old, over-the-counter (OTC)
month from the
pharmaceutical manufacturer in
time we started the upgrades to the
to increase capacity, improve safety and
building, to the time we
drive efficiencies at the manufacturing
received the approval. This
facility located in Benoni, Gauteng.
was an impressive journey and
Paul Miller, CEO of Cipla South Africa, explained the company had seen very high demand for the products produced
Mirren facility,” says Miller.
To reinforce the company’s current OTC portfolio, it now has three
absolutely remarkable from a timing and
dedicated manufacturing facilities on the
investment perspective,” he comments.
African continent – Cipla Mirren, CMM
With the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) approval obtained from the South
in KwaZulu-Natal and the CiplaQCIL manufacturing facility in Kampala, Uganda.
African Health Products Regulatory
necessary capacity
Authority (SAHPRA), the Cipla Mirren facility
wasn’t in place and
is now running at full throttle to ensure
A good choice of expert technology
process flow wasn’t up
continuous supply of OTC medication.
The improvements at Cipla Mirren include
In January 2019, a
Miller adds: “This approval means
the construction of a new granulation
that we are fully compliant with all the
suite, while the existing granulation and
decision was taken
quality and regulatory requirements.
packaging suites as well as the raw
to refurbish the plant,
Our timing has been impeccable, as we
materials warehouse have been upgraded.
resulting in upgrades
have ensured that there are enough raw
The refurbished facility also includes a
to the liquids
materials and contingencies in place to
laboratory, finished goods warehouse and
suite, while the
produce a sufficient supply of medicine to
new air-handling and water-cooling system.
effervescents suite was knocked down
help treat colds and flu, alleviate pain and
and completely rebuilt.
boost people’s immune systems.”
14 | MAY 14
immune systems strong
at the facility, yet the
to Cipla’s standards.
Pau l Miller
critical people keep their
Cipla is committed to with supplementary servicing patient demand medicines. This has which has seen Mirren’s OTC sparked a demand products, such as Broncol for immune boosters, cough syrup, Coryx, Tensopyn and Ultimag, vitamins and minerals, become household and pain medications names in the last manufactured at the Cipla 35 years.
2018, it has invested more than R70 million
In an interview with P C Review,
“At this time, it’s absolutely
2020 | P C Review
In terms of new equipment, the company installed a Glatt Integrated
