Sumitomo companies to set up joint pharma plants

Sumitomo Chemical and Sumitomo Pharmaceuticals have reached agreement toset up joint drug manufacturing plants due to growing demand for the latter's products. The plants will be based at the former's Oita prefecture site and are expected to be operational in spring 2003.

Sumitomo Chemical has been supplying Sumitomo Pharmaceuticals with drug raw materials from the Oita manufacturing site for some time, which the latter has processed into finished medicine such as antianxiolitics and angina drugs at its Ibaraki prefecture plant. By bringing the whole process to a single site, the companies foresee added efficiencies.