Towa International, a subsidiary of Japan's Towa Pharmaceutical, and specialising in generic medicines, has announced the forthcoming expansion of its plant in Martorelles (Barcelona). The company will invest more than 9 million euros to create a new high-containment area where it will produce high-potency substances. The transaction is part of the company’s 2024-2026 strategic plan, and is in addition to the 20 million euros invested since the subsidiary was created in 2020.

When it starts operations in the first quarter of 2026, the Martorelles plant will significantly expand its production and R&D capacity, and will significantly boost the company's internationalisation process. The Catalan factory, which was already one of Towa's largest in Europe before the expansion, will add 600 square metres to the over 35,000 square metres it currently has.

Safe environment
The new space will be equipped with advanced technology for manufacturing solid dose forms: tablets, coated tablets and capsules. It will be able to manufacture 10-100-kilo batches of high-potency substances, in a safe environment for both workers and the medicines, avoiding cross-contamination and the release of hazardous substances into the environment. The company also says that it will maintain high standards of quality and sustainability.

Thanks to its expansion, the factory will have a production capacity of 5.6 billion doses per year, consolidating its position as the company's leading site for manufacturing high-potency drugs. According to Towa International, this will, in turn, position it as one of the few pharmaceutical companies with the capacity to develop and produce high-potency drugs at a specialised production facility with an R&D centre.

Production and R&D
Towa International CEO, David Peix, frames the investment as part of the 2024-2026 strategic plan, “in which we reaffirm our objective to continue expanding our production and R&D capabilities. Our goal is to make these advances available to our customers and reach the largest number of patients worldwide, as part of our ongoing commitment to internationalisation”.

Towa International's Chief Operating Officer, Pablo Magnani, believes this investment “will allow us to continue to meet the growing demand for high-potency handling solutions, ensuring our customers have access to the capabilities they will need now and in the future. Furthermore, the new area will enable us to develop and manufacture oncology products, reinforcing our commitment to serving the needs of all our customers and patients.”

^{Photo: Towa International}