Pharmaceutical company Lek, part of the Swiss group Sandoz, has laid the foundation stone for a new medicines quality control laboratory in Lendava, NE Slovenia. Coming on top of a US$400 million investment under way at the site, the new €10 million investment will create about 40 new jobs.

The new lab is expected to be built within a year and will support a centre for the production of drug substances for biosimilars under construction at the site, Lek's biggest investment yet.

The company says the new facility will strengthen its local medicine analysis capacity, as well as contribute to greater efficiency and quality throughout the global supply chain, and consolidate Lendava's role as a major pharmaceutical site in the wider region.

The new laboratory will test batches of solid dosage products packaged in Lendava and conduct stability studies. It aims to shorten throughput times and contribute to optimising finished product inventories.

Gregor Makuc, CEO of Lek and president of Sandoz Slovenia, described the Lendava site as exceptionally important at the ground-breaking ceremony on 24 April.

Apart from packaging solid dosage products, Lendava also produces clavulanic acid, while the new high-tech centre will produce active ingredients for biosimilar medicines used to treat the most challenging diseases.

"With these investments, which will bring an additional 350 to 400 new jobs to Lendava, the site will become one of the key locations - a main pharmaceutical hub within the Sandoz group among all countries worldwide," Makuc said.

Performing analyses locally will significantly reduce throughput times, allowing Lek to respond faster to the needs of the market and patients and ensure timely delivery of safe, effective medicines, said Simon Rečnik, head of the solid dosage products segment and member of the Sandoz Slovenia leadership team.

He praised the collaboration with the local community as a success story, with Lendava Mayor Janez Magyar likewise emphasising the importance of this latest Lek investment for the municipality.

The overall project, including the main high-tech centre for producing active ingredients for biosimilars, which is slated to become operational by the end of 2026, represents the largest foreign direct investment currently underway in Slovenia.

Last year, the European Commission approved €52 million in state aid for the main biosimilars facility, recognising its contribution to EU strategic goals, job creation, and regional development in Pomurje, one of Slovenia's least developed regions.