Arven selects GE Healthcare’s manufacturing platform to expand production capacity at Turkish facility

GE Healthcare’s FlexFactory manufacturing platform has been selected to expand production capacity at Arven Pharmaceuticals’ facility in Kirklareli, Turkey.

With this expanded capacity, Arven will support local healthcare needs by bringing biopharmaceuticals to the Turkish and surrounding markets faster, whilst also opening up European markets through the FlexFactory’s proven track record in meeting global regulations and quality standards.

Already Europe’s seventh largest pharmaceutical market, Turkey plans to further grow and transform its healthcare sector, reaching 60% local production for its pharmaceutical medicines by 2023.

Arven has opted to expand its production capacity in Turkey with GE’s FlexFactory platform which is based on integrated single-use technologies enabling flexible and efficient biomanufacturing operations. The resulting productivity improvements will support Arven’s biosimilars pipeline moving through the clinic to regulatory approval.

Irem Yenice, Ph.D., Head of Biotechnology and R&D Director, Arven Pharmaceuticals, said: “We used a range of different criteria to make our decision to employ single use systems for mammalian cell-based bioproduction. This included flexibility of systems, strength of local organization, technical support, speed, and collaborative work structure. GE Healthcare’s standards, and the FlexFactory platform, met our requirements.

“The project evaluation time was long enough to assess GE regarding our needs for biosimilar development and production.  Recently, Turkey has been focusing on local production of biotechnological products. Therefore, we believe that business opportunities among the companies with similar goals in the industry will increase by utilizing single use technologies.”

Sven Henrichwark, General Manager, Global Commercial BioProcess, GE Healthcare Life Sciences, said: “Our new Fast Trak Service Center in Istanbul allows us to work closely with Arven, one of the country’s key biopharma companies, to help deliver increased capacity as well as supporting Turkey’s growing pharma industry requirements more rapidly. Turkey’s desire to boost local manufacturing capacity is an industry need we are hearing echoed across the globe.

“Local production capability is a crucial element in providing national healthcare systems with the vital medicines to address growing patient needs. We are excited to contribute to Arven’s development by delivering a robust and flexible biomanufacturing solution, that also includes final qualification and training.”

GE opened their Fast Trak Service Center in Istanbul in March 2016. Based in GE’s Turkey Innovation Center, the laboratory is well-located to support the region’s growing industry, and help position Turkey as a global research, development and manufacturing hub.