Ibsa is once again investing in Lodi: 13 million to boost hyaluronic acid production

Ibsa, the Swiss multinational pharmaceutical company, has just inaugurated its new plant in Lodi, which has been largely refurbished thanks to an investment of 13.5 million euros. This will enable the site to expand its production capacity in support of the Group’s internationalisation process, thereby meeting growing demand in both domestic and global markets. The plant, which covers a total area of approximately 12,000 square metres, is a centre of international excellence for the manufacture of hyaluronic acid-based finished products, a field in which Ibsa is one of the world’s leading companies.

“This investment enables us to meet the needs of international markets, including the strategic and highly competitive US market,” said Alessandro Ruggiero, Chief Industrial & Open Innovation Officer at Ibsa. “For us, the Lodi plant represents a centre of excellence that produces products for patients and healthcare professionals in over 90 countries, whilst at the same time showcasing the skills of our staff and our ties to the Lombardy region” – said Giuseppe Celiberti, CEO & General Manager of Ibsa Italy.

The project forms part of a development plan launched in recent years with the expansion of the Cassina de' Pecchi production site and the opening of the new IBSA Italy headquarters, representing a total investment of around 40 million euros. At the Lodi plant, the expansion of production and packaging of hyaluronic acid-based products has been divided, from 2022 onwards, into three successive phases of expansion. The new department dedicated to pre-filled syringe formulations completes this process and will enable the production capacity for hyaluronic acid syringe vials to be increased from 6 million units per year in 2022 to 14 million. Compared with traditional glass ampoules, pre-filled syringe vials simplify the administration of sterile injectable products, reducing the risk of dosing errors and improving safety and ease of use. Ibsa, moreover, stands out from other companies operating in the vast hyaluronic acid market – which is worth 12.4 billion dollars globally – as it controls the entire production chain. Thanks in part to Ibsa’s special patented thermal process, which combines high- and low-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid to create highly concentrated cooperative hybrid complexes, the company is one of the few international firms capable of producing ultra-pure hyaluronic acid for applications across various therapeutic areas, ranging from osteoarticular and aesthetic medicine to the urogynaecological field.

“At IBSA, we work every day to improve people’s quality of life through solutions designed to meet a range of needs, such as maintaining mobility and joint health, safeguarding intimate health, enhancing authentic beauty and promoting healthy ageing” explains Andrea Giori, Head of Preclinical & Clinical Research at IBSA.

The expansion of the site has also had a positive impact on employment: the workforce at the Lodi production site has grown by 8 per cent, reaching a total of 237 people. “The Lodi plant is a centre of manufacturing excellence, characterised by a distinctive wealth of specialist expertise and advanced technologies,” explained Roberto Maglio, Head of Manufacturing at Ibsa. “This combination of know-how, technologies and production capacity is one of the site’s defining and strategic strengths,” Francesca Biafora, Engineering & Maintenance Director at Ibsa, added: “The significant investments made in modernising the departments, infrastructure and production lines have enabled us to significantly increase the site’s production capacity and introduce cutting-edge technologies, helping to make processes even more efficient, reliable and geared towards the highest standards of quality and safety. At the same time, the spaces have been redesigned both functionally and aesthetically, with the aim of creating a more welcoming and comfortable working environment that prioritises the wellbeing of the people who work there every day.”