Vitebsk Biopharma Factory to Master Production of Import-Substituting Veterinary Drugs Worth Br10 Billion in 2009.

April 10, Vitebsk region / Diana Kurilo - BELTA /. The commissioning of the second construction phase of the reconstruction of the private unitary enterprise "Vitebsk Biopharma" will allow for the production of import-substituting veterinary vaccines worth Br10 billion. This was announced by the Prime Minister of Belarus, Sergei Sidorsky, during his visit to the enterprise today, BELTA correspondent reports. Biopharma will launch the production of its own 15 bacterial vaccines and 37 pharmacological preparations, and will double the production of veterinary drugs to Br17 billion. Given that more than half of the products will be import-substituting, the savings on the purchase of domestic drugs due to lower prices will exceed Br3.5 billion. The facility is scheduled to be commissioned in June of this year. State investment costs for its construction amounted to Br82 billion. The first construction phase of Biopharma was commissioned in 2007. With its launch, the enterprise mastered the production of hyperimmune sera. In 2008, 23 tons of such sera were produced, which allowed for the complete import substitution of these drugs. The full reconstruction of Vitebsk Biopharma will be completed in December of this year. When the factory reaches its design capacity, starting from 2011, the range of manufactured drugs will exceed 90 items, the volume of manufactured products will be about Br40 billion, of which import-substituting products will account for about Br20 billion. Currently, 1146 veterinary drugs are registered in Belarus, of which only 46.6% are domestic. Within the framework of the state program for the development of the production of veterinary drugs and instruments used in veterinary medicine for 2005-2008, technical re-equipment of five plants is envisaged: in Gomel, Minsk, Mogilev, Vitebsk, and Vitebsk region. By 2011, the share of domestic drugs in the total volume of their production should be at least 70%, the Prime Minister demanded. -0-