Takeda Announces Completion of Tianjin Plant Expansion to Accelerate Delivery of High-Quality Innovative Medicines to Chinese Patients

- Tianjin Plant Expansion Project: A Significant Milestone in Takeda’s Commitment to China

- Enhance supply capabilities to accelerate the provision of high-quality innovative medicines for the Chinese market, benefiting more patients in China.

Tianjin, China, September 25, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Takeda China officially announced today the completion of the expansion project at its Tianjin manufacturing facility. As one of Takeda’s key global production bases, the Tianjin plant will primarily focus on the manufacturing and supply of innovative medicines in the two therapeutic areas of oncology and gastroenterology, accelerating the provision of high-quality innovative drugs to the Chinese market and benefiting more patients in China.

Following the expansion, the Tianjin plant’s building area has nearly doubled to 22,878 square meters, its warehousing capacity has increased fourfold, and pharmaceutical outbound efficiency has improved by a factor of 2.5. The newly expanded production support workshop also introduces a quality control laboratory equipped with computerized systems for testing new products and new dosage forms, comprehensively enhancing the plant’s GMP management standards.

Zhang Aiguo, Director of the Tianjin Municipal Commerce Bureau, held discussions with Takeda’s management team regarding Takeda’s future development in China. Mr. Shigeru Fukunaga, Economic Counselor at the Embassy of Japan in China, attended the completion ceremony and extended his congratulations. The ceremony was also attended by numerous distinguished guests, including Dr. Thomas Wozniewski, Global Head of Production and Supply Chain at Takeda; Mr. Milano Furuta, Global Chief Strategy Officer at Takeda; Mr. Ricardo Marek, President of the Growth and Emerging Markets Business Unit at Takeda; Mr. Shan Guohong, President of Takeda China; and Mr. Kang Jian (Struski Konrad), General Manager of Takeda’s Tianjin Plant.

Expansion of Tianjin Plant to Fully Upgrade Supply Capacity for the Chinese Market

The expansion project of Takeda’s Tianjin plant was officially launched in March 2019, with a total investment of RMB 110 million. The expansion mainly includes the construction of new storage warehouses, production support workshops, and central public utilities. Dr. Thomas Wozniewski, Head of Global Production and Supply Chain at Takeda, stated, “The expansion of the Tianjin plant demonstrates Takeda’s commitment to the Chinese market. China is a critically important market for us, and we plan to launch a series of new drugs here in the future. As a key link in our supply chain, the Tianjin plant will provide full support to accelerate the market introduction of these new therapies. We are delighted to soon commission the new facilities. The expanded Tianjin plant will continue to strengthen our supply chain capabilities, elevating them to global standards. Meanwhile, the expanded facility will effectively optimize our operational efficiency and comprehensively enhance Takeda’s overall supply capacity in China. Furthermore, Takeda remains committed to minimizing the environmental impact of its business operations. With the energy-saving and environmentally friendly features and design of the new plant, we once again demonstrate our determination towards sustainable development.”

Notably, to reduce the environmental impact of its own business operations and achieve its carbon neutrality goal by 2040, Takeda’s Tianjin plant has implemented a series of green measures, including large-scale solar energy utilization, heat recovery, and an innovative “sponge city” design featuring rainwater harvesting, thereby contributing to the development of low-carbon cities and supporting the growth of the circular economy.

Deepening Presence in the Chinese Market to Accelerate Strategic Layout in China

As a vital component of Takeda’s global supply chain, the Takeda Tianjin plant not only serves the needs of patients in China but also exports to multiple European countries. “China is one of Takeda’s key strategic markets globally. Through collaboration with Chinese health authorities, we will bring more innovative medicines to Chinese patients,” said Mr. Ricardo Marek, President of Takeda’s Growth and Emerging Markets Business Unit. “Encouraged by the Chinese government’s continuous acceleration of drug review and approval processes and its active encouragement of innovation, Takeda is further motivated to proactively align with the ‘Healthy China 2030’ national strategy. We will continue to increase our investment in the Chinese market to enhance innovation capabilities and expand our R&D pipeline, working hand in hand with the government to deliver higher-quality innovative medicines to Chinese patients as soon as possible.”

It is reported that Vonoprazan Fumarate Tablets, an innovative drug recently approved for market launch in China by Takeda, were successfully manufactured and released by Takeda’s Tianjin facility during the resumption of production and work this May. The annual production capacity is expected to reach 20 million boxes, ensuring medication access for adult patients with reflux esophagitis in China and worldwide.

“Takeda’s efforts to facilitate timely patient access to innovative therapies align with China’s ‘Healthy China 2030’ vision,” said Mr. Shan Guohong, President of Takeda China. “The completion of the expansion project at our Tianjin manufacturing facility will enable Takeda to serve the vast population of patients in China more quickly and effectively. In the future, we will fully uphold our responsibility to safeguard life and health, work closely with the Chinese government, and make greater contributions to advancing the development of China’s pharmaceutical and healthcare industry.”

In the future, with the rapid growth in demand for innovative drugs in the Chinese market, Takeda will also consider the Phase II expansion plan for its Tianjin plant to meet the business needs of introducing more innovative drugs into the Chinese market.

Takeda entered China in 1994 and, over the past two decades of deep commitment to the Chinese market, has remained closely attuned to patient needs. As the only global top-ten pharmaceutical company rooted in Asia and focused on innovative drug R&D, Takeda is actively advancing its development strategy in China and accelerating its strategic layout in the country. Over the next five years, Takeda plans to launch more than 15 innovative medicines in China, benefiting over 10 million Chinese patients, thereby becoming one of the multinational pharmaceutical companies with the largest number of new product launches in the Chinese market.

About Takeda

Takeda (Tokyo Stock Exchange Code: 4502; New York Stock Exchange Ticker: TAK) is a global, value-driven, research and development-focused biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Japan. Takeda is committed to translating science into highly innovative medicines that safeguard patients’ healthy lives and brighter futures. The company focuses its drug research and development efforts on four core therapeutic areas—oncology, gastroenterology, neuroscience, and rare diseases—with specialized R&D investments in plasma-derived therapies and vaccines. By pursuing highly innovative drug development, pioneering novel treatment modalities, and strengthening collaborative R&D capabilities, Takeda builds a robust and diverse product pipeline dedicated to improving people’s lives. With employees in approximately 80 countries and regions, Takeda works alongside local healthcare partners to deliver health benefits to patients worldwide.

Takeda entered China in 1994. Takeda China’s headquarters is located in Shanghai, with its main business centers in mainland China situated in cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, and Guangzhou, as well as in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The company has established offices in major cities across China and currently employs more than 2,000 people in the country. With China’s economic development and the growing demand for healthcare, China has become one of Takeda’s most important emerging markets globally.

For more information, please visithttps://www.takeda.com

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