Boehringer Ingelheim to double Respimat production capacity

Boehringer Ingelheim has announced plans to double production capabilities for its Respimat soft inhaler, in order to meet growing global demand for the product.

The company will be investing approximately 85 million euros (68.01 million pounds) into its Dortmund manufacturing facility, a move that will create more than 100 new jobs once the process is completed.

Produced by subsidiary Boehringer Ingelheim microParts, Respimat utilises a long-lasting aerosol cloud effectively transport the active substance into the lung, making it more effective than many alternatives.

In excess of 450 people are currently employed in the production of Respimat, with the new expansion process set to be completed by 2015.

Professor Wolfram Carius, the member of Boehringer Ingelheim's board of managing directors in charge of biopharmaceuticals and operations, said: "Doubling our Respimat production capacity will allow us to produce up to 44 million inhalers annually in the future. The success story of Respimat continues."

Earlier this week, the company announced that its diabetes therapy Trajenta – developed in partnership with Lilly – has been approved in an expanded indication by the European Commission.