Pfizer to stop manufacturing operations in Chennai, Aurangabad units

Pfizer Inc. has decided to shut down its manufacturing units in Irungattukottai, Chennai, and Aurangabad, Maharashtra, which came to it through an acquisition of injectables manufacturer Hospira in 2015. While the company is shutting down the two facilities, plans are afoot to expand the Vizag manufacturing facility, which also came as part of the acquisition. Pfizer conducted a thorough evaluation of the Irungattukottai and Aurangabad sites and concluded that due to a significant fall in product demand, manufacturing at these sites is not viable. As a result, both the Aurangabad and Irungattukottai sites will immediately cease manufacturing with the intention to exit both sites as soon as possible in 2019.

The Irungattukottai facility was producing beta-lactam antibiotics while the Aurangabad facility was manufacturing penicillin and penem API during the period. It was coming up with a greenfield expansion plant in Vizag for specialty injectables then. The Irungattukottai and Aurangabad sites are purely export-oriented and do not supply products for Pfizer’s India commercial operations. The decision to close down these facilities will not affect its other Indian manufacturing sites in Goa, Vishakapatnam (Vizag) and the joint venture site, Zydus Hospira Oncology Pvt Ltd (ZHOPL), a collaboration with Cadila Healthcare formed to manufacture injectable cytotoxic drugs in Ahmedabad. The company announced an expansion to its operations at the Vizag site to bring it up as a global terminally sterilized manufacturing center of excellence. It will cater to the export markets, such as United States and eventually, to Canada. India will continue to be an important manufacturing location for Pfizer worldwide.