The Georgian biopharmaceutical company BioChimPharm (BCP) has completed the process of modernization of its historic Bacteriophage (Phage) manufacturing factory. A two-year investment project worth GEL 17.5 million (€ 6,000,000) has been implemented with the support of the EU, the EBRD, FAO and the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia.
As a result, BioChimPharm reequipped the plant in compliance with the EU GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) guidelines, an accepted standard in the European Union and the Company plans applying for GMP certification within the following months.
“Congratulations to the new production facilities!” stated Ambassador Pawel Herczycnski during his visit there. “They will enable BioChimPharm to produce pharmaceutical products in compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), an accepted standard in the European Union. We hope that this success will be an inspiration for other companies to scale up knowledge-intensive and high value-added production in Georgia.”
“We are glad that the enterprise operates successfully and continues the very long tradition that the country has in the production of bacteriophages,” said Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, Levan Davitashvili. “This enterprise, Georgia, will be proudly represented on the map of technologies, including biotechnologies, in the future.”
“The production of phage preparations and the phage therapy are still a novelty for most countries. Millions of people still do not have access to phages, leaving patients vulnerable to antibiotic-resistant infections,” said Rati Golijashvil, the general manager of BioChimPharm. “With this project, our company is increasing its production capacity and export area, thus making phages available for millions of patients around the globe. The modernization of the manufacturing plant, high-tech infrastructure and production lines enables us to scale-up production in compliance with internationally recognized manufacturing standards, to become more effective in the fight against the resistant infections and to overcome the global threat of antibiotic resistance.”
The opening event of the first industrial scale manufacturing plant of phage preparations that meets sterile (aseptic) production guidelines was attended by Levan Davitashvili, Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia; Pawel Herczynski, Ambassador of the European Union to Georgia; Catarina Bjorlin Hansen, EBRD Regional Director for the Caucasus; and Javier Sanz Alvarez, Coordinator of FAO projects in Georgia.
About BioChimPharm and EU Support
The newly modernized plant of BioChimPharm is located in Tbilisi, in the historic Bacteriophage Institute, and represents the first enterprise producing sterile liquid dosage forms in the South Caucasus, covering the full production cycle, including the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs, substance), as well as primary and secondary packaging of medicines.
The company has completed a two-year investment project worth GEL 17.5 million (€ 6,000,000) with the support of the EU, the EBRD and the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia. The company received support under two EU programs. The EBRD provided a loan through Procredit Bank, its partner financial institution with the goal to bring production in line with an international standard (GMP – good manufacturing practice) which is compulsory for accessing EU and other international markets.
The EU is complementing the EBRD financing with a cash back grant under the flagship EU4Business-EBRD Credit Line.
The EU and FAO awarded a matching grant of €125,000. The grant is aimed at supporting “PowerPhage” production, a phage based, natural antimicrobial veterinary solution, which substitutes antibiotics in animal agriculture and reduces the use of antibiotics in meat production, with a focus on poultry farms. The matching grant is a part of a total investment, aimed to allow a 300% increase in “PowerPhage” production. The latter contribution was allocated on upgrading the manufacturing line to ensure EU good manufacturing practice compliance.
BioChimPharm is a Georgian based biopharmaceutical company producing bacteriophage (phage) preparations. Currently, phage medicines are the only viable alternative to antibiotics. BioChimPharm exports phages to 8 countries, employees a team of 60 people, holds 2 international patents and boasts nearly 100 years of experience in phage R&D and production.
