Farmalabor: 8.5 million invested in a project for rare diseases
The main focus will be on orphan drugs developed with a new environmentally friendly production process that reduces steps and costs
Developing 'orphan drugs' using a new production process with a low environmental impact and capable of reducing steps and costs, giving shape to personalised medicine for patients suffering from rare diseases. G.O.D. - Genetics & Orphan Drugs', the plan developed by the benefit company Farmalabor, a national leader in the production and distribution of raw materials for pharmaceutical and cosmetic use, aims at these objectives. G.O.D. envisages the use of lipid nanosystems to improve the stability and bioavailability of vitamin D and the development of genetic tests to support doctors and patients in choosing the most appropriate therapy, thus making personalised medicine a concrete clinical reality in Puglia. G.O.D. envisages a total investment of around EUR 8.5 million for R&D, environmental protection and training.
Smart Puglia 2030
The Apulia Region - which has included the project in the framework of Smart Apulia 2030, which aims to respond to crucial public health challenges through three pillars: the 'green' synthesis of new drugs, nutraceutical innovation and pharmacogenics - is contributing about EUR 5 million through Pia, with a non-repayable grant. For the remainder, there is BdM Banca (Mcc group) with a dedicated credit line that also uses the EIB's InvestEU instrument to support the green transition of Italian SMEs.
Infrastructure Investments
In addition to scientific research, the plan envisages infrastructural investments in Farmalabor for the production of energy from renewable sources at its headquarters in Canosa, in the Bat region, where the company has grown, in 25 years, to employ 125 employees, which will rise to 250 in the near future, and to reach a turnover of 20 million euro in 2025 (+16% on the previous year), estimated at 25 in 2026. Also planned is the strengthening of cybersecurity and training programmes for staff, with new hires expected.
The project will therefore not only allow Farmalabor's production capacity to be expanded, but above all to focus on research for orphan drugs and the synthesis of essential components. "All this," observes Sergio Fontana, president of Farmalabor, "is the natural result of the activity of our Sergio Fontana Study and Research Centre, which, since 2017, has been collaborating with academic excellence in the area, starting with the University of Bari.
