Bahrain establishes first pharmaceuticals production facility

Bahrain establishes first pharmaceuticals production facility

Bahrain Pharma has received approval to begin trial production of medication, seeking to capture a piece of the $20bn GCC pharmaceutical industry. Commercial production by the $30m pharmaceuticals manufacturer is expected to begin in September of this year.

According to industry reports, 80 per cent of the pharmaceutical products sold in the region are imported from outside the region. Balancing this ratio could spell a significant opportunity for the local industry.

"This is a big moment for Bahrain, but it's also an indication that the Gulf is on a clear path towards localising pharmaceutical manufacturing. Pharmaceuticals offer significant opportunities in the region, and the highly skilled workforce available in Bahrain means that this is not only an opportunity for business leaders, but also for aspiring scientists and pharmacists as well,“ said Bahrain Pharma managing director Dr. Waqar Ahmad.

Bahrain Pharma has been licensed by Bahrain's National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) to produce gel capsule and soluble syrups. The company says it can rapidly move to a much wider variety of product types.

"We expect to produce commercial batches in September of this year. We have started with two production lines with a total annual production capacity of 600 million soft gel capsules and 20