Reconstruction of Vitebsk biopharmaceutical plant can pay off in a year and a half - S. Sidorsky

June 30, Vitebsk region / Diana Kurilo - BELTA/. The investment project for the reconstruction of the Vitebsk Biopharma Factory may pay off in 1.5 years, and the enterprise itself may become export-oriented. This was stated today to journalists by the Prime Minister of Belarus, Sergei Sidorsky, after visiting the enterprise and familiarizing himself with the progress of its reconstruction, BELTA correspondent reports. The reconstruction of the factory began in 2006. Since then, over Br190 billion has been invested. According to preliminary calculations, the payback period for the project was about 5 years. However, according to the Prime Minister, the adoption of modern technologies and an increase in production volume can shorten the payback period and ensure veterinary safety of the state as quickly as possible, as well as increase the export of veterinary drugs. Within 2-3 months, the enterprise is expected to reach its design capacity and by October of this year to begin serial production of complex biological preparations. "We have created a modern enterprise, it will be a powerful factory where substances and strains will be produced – the main material for biological preparations that are in demand for domestic production and can be sold abroad," said Sergei Sidorsky. The enterprise's immediate task is to obtain GMP certification. The Prime Minister did not rule out that in the future, Vitebsk Biopharma Factory may produce biological preparations for human treatment. Sergei Sidorsky positively assessed the work on the reconstruction of the biopharma factory, but noted that there are problems with the setup of German and Polish equipment supplied from EU countries. He also noted that over the years, the National Academy of Sciences, for the scientific support of Vitebsk Biopharma Factory, has modified the Institute of Microbiology, which has become one of the leading scientific institutions in the country. The factory was founded in 1930 and specializes in veterinary therapeutic and diagnostic preparations for animal husbandry. For January-May of this year, the production volume of products at comparable prices amounted to Br6 billion, which is 26% more compared to the same period last year. The growth rate of new products in January-May was 217.6% and is estimated at Br1.5 billion. The volume of shipped products at current prices for five months reached Br5 billion, which is 28% higher than the same indicators last year. The enterprise exports products to Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Kazakhstan. -0-