Industrial Operations

The Chiesi Group manufacturing facilities are located in three sites: the Officine Farmaceutiche di Parma (Italy), with a workforce totalling about 400 people, the
Blois-La Chaussée Saint Victor plant (France), with more than 50 employees and the Santana de Parnaiba plant (Brazil), with 100 employees which celebrated its thirtieth anniversary in 2006.

The Facilities
The most important facility, located in Parma, is an international supply site providing products for over 50 countries. The plant has been certified ISO 9001:2000 for “Research, development, production and sale of medicinal products”. Moreover, it has been successfully inspected by several Health Authorities, including the US FDA, the Canadian Drug Agency and the Agenzia Italiana del Farmaco.

The proper application of Good Manufacturing Practice international standards, involving the adoption of cutting-edge technology (e.g. strong automation procedures and high product / environmental segregation), guarantees both the operators’ safety and care of the environment.
The capacity to provide an excellent level of service in the supply of product to local companies and customers is the result of careful and effective partnerships with suppliers. Each of them is required to provide Chiesi with a high service level both in terms of safety and quality in order to guarantee “business continuity”. The Officine di Parma manufactures approximately 40 million units per year.

The San Leonardo plant produces tablets and powders for DPIs (Dry Powder Inhalers), solutions and suspensions for MDIs (Metered-Dose Inhalers) that utilize ozone-friendly propellants (HFAs), or that are sealed in sterile, single-dose vials using the “Blow, Fill & Seal” system, that are administered via nebulisation (UDVs). The Via Palermo laboratories produce sterile suspensions for endotracheal administration (Curosurf^®) as well as liquids such as drops, syrups and sprays. The current capacity of our new sterile UDV production department has been increased to over 200 million doses per year, due to the implementation of a third machine.

The MDI production capacity, currently in excess of 10 millions units, will be doubled during 2007. Production and ancillary processes (Cleaning in Place, Sterilizing in Place) are driven and monitored through validated computer systems. MES (Manufacturing Execution System) information technology architecture is being implemented to further improve the automation level.
The Blois plant produces about 5 million units. The French laboratories are specialised in the blister packaging of tablets and capsules. The Santana de Parnaiba facility produces about 6 million units. The Brazilian plants produce tablets as well as solutions and suspensions for MDIs.