Sandoz, the generics business unit of Novartis, announced that it has acquired the production plant of Amifarma SL in Palafolls, which is located north of Barcelona, Spain, for an undisclosed sum.

Amifarma – whose product range is focused on sterile, injectable bulk antibiotics – generated sales of Euro 23.5 million in 2002. Its 13 000 m2 plant began operations in 1996 and is currently staffed by 41 employees, who will be integrated into the Spanish affiliate of Sandoz.

Christian Seiwald, CEO of Sandoz, commented: "The Palafolls plant is an important strategic fit in our operations. It offers us additional new technology and enhances our position in the niche segment of sterile penicillins, complementing our industry-leading range of anti-infectives. Amifarma has already been supplying some important active ingredients to Sandoz affiliates, so this acquisition also increases our level of vertical integration."

Heinrich Scherfler, global head of the Sandoz Industrial Products Franchise, added: "Our existing state-of-art plant in Les Franqueses, Spain, is already a leading centre of excellence for Sandoz' production of oral semi-synthetic penicillins. Palafolls now provides us with freeze-drying-technology for antibiotics and complements our sterile production capacity."

As one of the world's leading manufacturers of antibiotics, Sandoz has a broad range of anti-infective comprising penicillins, cefalosporins, makrolides and combination products, such as the highly successful antibiotic AmoxC, a generic version of Augmentin Augmentin is a registered trademark of GlaxoSmithKline".