Novartis to build new biotherapeutics development centre in Mengeš

Novartis announced last autumn it would invest EUR 300 million in the development of next-generation biotherapeutics. Just over a third of this amount will be spent to build the new development centre in Mengeš.

"This new path gives us tremendous development opportunities," said Jana Petek, CEO of Novartis in Slovenia. The construction of the Centre for Technical Development of Biotherapeutics will further strengthen the importance of Mengeš as the largest industrial centre for modern innovative biotechnology in Slovenia.

This is an investment in clinical and pre-clinical manufacturing and in technical development, which will allow for greater speed and flexibility in the early development of innovative biotherapeutics. Biotherapeutics have enormous potential, said Jonathan Novak, global head of technical development of biotherapeutics at Novartis.

"Those who invest in knowledge need not fear the future," said Golob. Noting that recently one crisis is followed by another, he said that today's event proved that crises could also be an opportunity. "It is precisely in times of crises that we need to invest in know-how even more," he stressed.

As society ages, the need for medicines will increase, Golob noted, arguing that such investments were also important to improve the quality of life.

Novartis expects that accelerating the transition from pre-clinical to human clinical studies will enable it to reach development milestones faster, allowing innovative medicines to reach patients significantly faster.

The company has a long tradition of technical development of biotherapeutics in Mengeš, dating back to the 1980s. With around 800 employees in development and production and close cooperation with Slovenian academic and research institutions, Mengeš is already considered the largest centre for modern innovative biotechnology in Slovenia.

Together with the chemical production of active pharmaceutical ingredients, Novartis employs more than 1,200 people at its Mengeš facilities, and today's investment in the new centre, which will be built close to the development laboratories, is expected to create 100 more jobs for experts in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, chemical engineering, data science, modelling, automation and robotics.

The new centre, which is expected to become operational in 2026, will consist of two buildings - one for the development and management, and the laboratory building. The design focusses on sustainability and the roof is to be covered in solar panels.

Pharmaceutical giant Novartis has so far invested just over EUR 3.4 billion in Slovenia and together with the purchase consideration for Lek the figure amounts to over EUR 5.4 billion.