The biotechnology plant of the Argentine company Laboratorios Richmond required an investment of US$ 85 million.

The Argentine company Laboratorios Richmond is preparing the launch of the VIDA (Vaccine Immunization for Argentine Development) biotechnology plant, a state-of-the-art center that will produce multi-platform vaccines from the Chinese pharmaceutical company CanSino Biologics Inc. and medicines for Argentina and the region. biotechnological, such as monoclonal antibodies, among others.

The biotechnology plant, which required an investment of US$ 85 million, is close to sealing its security bubble and in this context the Xinhua media toured this Tuesday the 11,000 square meter property that is located in the town of Pilar, about 70 kilometers northwest of Buenos Aires, the capital of the country.

The firm explained that the total estimated capacity will be about 80 million vials and about 28 million syringes per year, operating in two production shifts, while highlighting that the initiative will contribute to the expansion and strengthening of productive capacity. in Argentina.

In an interview with Latin America".

Socially, the project is expected to improve access to medicines, promote the generation of quality employment, the training of personnel and contribute to socioeconomic advancement, strengthening the local industry and preparing the health scenario for possible epidemiological crises in the future.

The founder of Laboratorios Richmond, Marcelo Figueiras, stressed that the development will promote the health independence of the South American country, while allowing greater access to quality treatments.

Regarding biotechnological products and future vaccines, the company has signed several agreements, the first of which was with CanSino Biologics Inc. for the production and commercialization of several vaccines, the first of which is Convidecia against COVID-19.

The local part has obtained certification from the National Administration of Medicines, Food and Medical Technology (ANMAT) for the production of this vaccine in the country and the new XBB1.5 variant is currently being evaluated by the regulatory body.

CanSino Biologics Inc. and Richmond Laboratories signed an agreement in 2022 for the production and commercialization of different vaccines and Convidecia is the first on which the technology transfer was carried out.

"We have a technology agreement with CanSino, their vaccine is registered, now the new strain is being registered. We have a plan with them to transfer other vaccines and CanSino hopes to be able to use this plant to supply its products to the Latin American market, so Cooperation with them is very important," Zini said.

For his part, Nahuel Fernández, manager of biotechnological processes at the Laboratory, highlighted to this agency the technological cooperation with China, reflected, for example, in supplies and equipment provided by companies from the Asian country for the Argentine laboratory.

This is the case of Tofflon, a pharmaceutical equipment supplier firm founded in 1993.

"The entire formulation and filling area is a complete line provided by Tofflon, which is a Chinese manufacturing company. We have about 20 people from Tofflon from China working in the plant, who were at the installation, in the acceptance testing of the equipment once implemented, and now they are beginning to carry out the qualification, a fairly long process that is necessary to be sure that the equipment works well," the interviewee stressed.

The project aims not only to expand and increase national productive capacity, but also to provide space for local R&D.

In this regard, representatives of the firm said that it will provide Argentine researchers with a platform for the translation of basic research and will allow access to competitive industrial means, facilitating internationalization and the capitalization of its value.

For this reason, the VIDA industrial complex has a small-scale plant for the development and technology transfer of products and innovations, which will be made available to scientists for their strengthening and future development.