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Egypt’s Pharco Pharmaceuticals has inaugurated a new ophthalmic drops production line at its Al Amreya industrial facility in Alexandria as part of a wider 500 million Egyptian pounds ($9.6 million) expansion programme.
The company said the move supports Egypt’s efforts to strengthen pharmaceutical security, reduce import dependence and increase exports to Middle East and African markets.
The new line, set up at an investment of nearly EGP 300 million ($5.8 million) has an annual production capacity of up to 20 million packs. Pharco said this would cover around 19 percent of Egypt’s ophthalmic drops market, estimated at more than 100 million packs per year, and nearly 11 percent of demand across Egypt, the Middle East and Africa, estimated at around 177 million packs per year.
The product mix includes medications for dry eye, glaucoma, eye inflammation, post-operative steroid therapies, and anti-allergy.
The Alexandria plant expansion also included a new penicillin tablets production line with a capacity of 19 million units annually.
Chairman Sherine Helmy said the project marks a strategic milestone for the company and highlights Egypt’s industrial capabilities. Egyptian Drug Authority Chairman Ali El-Ghamrawi said the investment supports localisation of specialised pharmaceutical industries and aligns with Egypt Vision 2030. Hesham Badr, Vice Chairman of the Unified Procurement Authority, added that the project represents a successful model of effective public-private partnership (PPP).
Helmy said the plant has been designed to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards and includes aseptic processing, gamma radiation sterilisation for containers, Grade A/B/C/D cleanroom environments, 6,000 packs per hour aseptic filling machine and automated labelling and packaging systems. Upgrades to semi-solid and sterile production facilities have raised topical preparations capacity to 30 million units.
Pharco has also launched Integrated digital quality systems (eQMS & eDMS) and new research, development and clinical studies centre
These investments have helped retain WHO certification and EU-GMP approvals support exports and domestic supply of medicines to the Unified Procurement Authority including antibiotics, pain treatments and sterile ophthalmic products, according to Helmy.
Pharco posted annual sales exceeding 278 million units valued at nearly EGP15 billion ($288 million) this year.
(1 US dollar = 52.05 Egyptian pounds)
(Writing by Marwa Abo Almajd; Editing by Anoop Menon)
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