Bayer HealthCare to expand European haemophilia drug manufacturing

Bayer HealthCare has announced plans for a major expansion of its German sites in Wuppertal and Leverkusen for the production of new haemophilia A drugs.

The company will spend more than 500 million euros (418.22 million pounds) to establish additional capacities for the manufacturing of the recombinant factor VIII haemophilia products it currently has in development.

These include the plasma protein-free BAY 81-8973 and long-acting BAY 94-9027, both of which are currently in phase III development and have shown promise in the trials conducted so far.

Establishing this additional supply source will help Bayer to prepare for production of the anticipated new therapy options, as well as addressing the growing demand for treatments for this disease.

Dr Olivier Brandicourt, chief executive officer of Bayer HealthCare, said: "This investment will be one of the largest in the history of Bayer HealthCare and reflects our strong commitment in the field of haemophilia A."

During 2013, Bayer HealthCare generated sales of 18.92 billion euros, up 1.7 percent on 2012. Growth was driven by the successful launch and rollout of various new drugs over the last two years.