Algerian-Made Insulin Pens Will Be Available As From September 2018

The Minister of Health, Population and Hospital Reform, Mr. Mokhtar Hasbellaoui, proceeded on Tuesday to the laying of the foundation stone of an insulin production complex (in the form of solution for injection in a pre-filled pen), in the city of Boufarik, in the central wilaya or province of Blida.

The project, which is part of an Algerian-Danish partnership between Saidal and the Novo Nordisk laboratories, should be  delivered towards the end of 2018, with an entry into production scheduled for the first half of 2019, announced to the press, on the sidelines of the laying ceremony of the first stone of the complex, Mr. Hasbellaoui who was accompanied by visiting Danish Foreign Minister Mr. Anders Samuelsen.

This project is part of the government’s strategy to boost the development of the national pharmaceutical industry to cover the domestic market with a locally produced product, the Minister said, noting that preparations were under way for the  training of research teams specialized in the field of drugs with the aim of “guaranteeing, in the future, a specialized human resource”.

Endowed with by  a financial package of 8.4 billion Dinars, the brand-new Boufarik pharmaceutical complex,  covering an area of 9,000 sq, is slated to reach  a capacity of production of 45 million units of insulin (as a solution injectable in a pre-filled pen), with an expected  creation of 150 direct and 400 indirect jobs, according to the information provided on site.

Mr. Hasbellaoui announced, at the same time, the entry into production, expected for “next September”, of the Constantine factory, also specialized in anti-diabetic drugs, which will be added to that of Tizi-Ouzou which will produce oral anti-diabetic drugs in the form of tablets.

The commissioning of the Constantine and Boufarik plants will allow the coverage of national needs for anti-diabetics, with the aim of embarking soon upon the export of relevant pharmaceuticals from the Boufarik complex, he added.