sanofi-aventis announced manufacturing plans in June 2010; GlaxoSmithKline and Hikma are already established.

The Saudi pharmaceutical market is the richest in the Gulf region and continues to attract the interest of foreign producers. On 30th June 2010, the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) announced that sanofi-aventis had signed an agreement with Emaar, the Economic City (EEC) and the King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) to establish a manufacturing facility in KAEC’s Industrial Valley. The plant will be built on a 35,000m2 land and is expected to produce oral antidiabetic and cardiovascular pharmaceuticals. This agreement has been sponsored by SAGIA.

sanofi-aventis will establish itself as an independent business entity and it will be the first major international pharmaceutical company to locate its plant in KAEC. Nevertheless, there are already some major foreign producers established in the Saudi market. GlaxoSmithKline has a joint-venture with the local company Banaja. GlaxoSmithKline owes 49.0% and Banaja the remaining 51.0%. On the grounds of significance influence, however, GlaxoSmithKline acknowledges this joint-venture as the company’s subsidiary in Saudi Arabia. Hikma is also present in Saudi Arabia.

Further reading – A detailed analysis of the Saudi Arabia pharmaceutical market is available from Espicom: The Pharmaceutical Market: Saudi Arabia (published July 2010)

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Filed under: World Pharmaceutical Markets

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