Eskayef inaugurates first factory to produce cartridge in Bangladesh

The cartridge of insulin pen, penfill, will be produced in the country.

Novo Nordisk, a leading global healthcare company, in partnership with Eskayef Pharmaceuticals owned by Transcom Group, one of the leading pharmaceuticals in Bangladesh, will jointly produce this cartridge in a bid to facilitate the access of insulin to diabetes patients.

Simeen Rahman, Transcom group chief executive officer (CEO), Eskayef CEO and managing director; Lars Arnoldsen, Novo Nordisk vice president (Corporate), and its Bangladesh general manager Rajarshi Dey Sarkar on Tuesday inaugurated a unit for producing cartridge at a separate building at the Eskayef medicine factory premises in the capital's Tongi.

Bangladesh Diabetes Association president professor AK Azad Khan, drug administration directorate director general major general Mohammad Yusuf and Denmark ambassador to Dhaka Winnie Estrup Petersen were present at the inaugural ceremony.

Several companies of the country import the cartridges and supply them to the market. The cartridge to be produced in Tongi would be the first International standard ones in the country, which is the reason why officials of both companies have termed the initiative of producing penfill a 'historic' event.

The penfill validation process has been initiated in the factory soon after its inauguration.

However, the diabetic patients in Bangladesh will not be able to use the penfill right now. It will be made available in the market once the validation process is completed.

Officials say the countrymen would avail locally produced penfill after the first half of 2023. The pharma company has initially set a target to produce 50.2 million penfills per annum, but it is yet to take a decision on market price.

Earlier, Simeen Rahman shed light on the longstanding ties between Transcom Group and Nordisk at a programme on the penfill project at the Faraaz Ayaaz Hossain building at the Eskayef pharmaceuticals factory.

She said Eskayef emphasizes the principles and values while doing business and does not compromise in case of quality. It produces drugs for Bangladesh, complying with the international standards.

Professor AK Azad Khan said, Bangladesh Diabetes Association’s long-spanning relation with Novo Nordisk is the reason why there has never been a shortage of insulin in Bangladesh. Penfill will become easily available to the countrymen after its production will start locally. It can also be exported to other countries, he said.

Eskayef officials said, the machineries used to make penfills in Denmark have been imported to Bangladesh from Europe. Eskayef has successfully replicated the factory setting of the Novo Nordisk in Denmark which manufacture penfills.

Director general of the department of drug administration major general Yousuf spoke about keeping the price of pencil within the purchasing power of the masses. He is hopeful that Eskayef can fulfill the local demand and export penfill abroad.

Danish ambassador Winnie Estrup Petersen said, Eskayef is an important organisation in Bangladesh’s pharmaceutical industry. This joint venture of SKF and Novo Nordisk will play a part in achieving the sustainable development goals in the health sector.

Eskayef began working with Novo Nordisk about insulin in 2009. Since 2012, Eskayef has been producing Novo Nordisk insulin in their factories. Eskayef and Novo Nordisk signed an agreement on penfill production in 2018. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the venture got pushed back.

Novo Nordisk’s vice president Lars Arnoldsen said, Novo Nordisk has collaborated with companies from across the world. But very rarely they have had the pleasure of working with a great partner like SKF. He said Eskayef have a creative mindset.

Novo Nordisk Bangladesh’s vice president and general manager Rajarshi Dey Sarkar said Novo Nordisk has been working on insulin for 100 years. They have been operating in Bangladesh since 1958. The penfill project is primarily a technology transfer project. This will increase insulin’s availability.

After the discussion, the penfill unit was inaugurated. The guests were taken to different floors inside the unit.