Posted: 13 August 2024
Australia is stepping up to the global fight against antimicrobial resistance, as Pfizer Australia announces a major upgrade to its manufacturing facility in Melbourne, Victoria.
Pfizer has invested AU$150 million to offer advanced pharmaceutical production facilities in Australia for new antimicrobial treatments aiming to help address rising levels of antimicrobial resistance, considered one of the biggest threats to global health.
The Hon Natalie Hutchins MP, Victorian Minister for Jobs and Industry, today visited the site to mark the milestone installation of key technology known as lyophilisers and witness the site’s highly specialised capabilities, including productivity enhancements, such as the use of robotics.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has been described as ‘the silent pandemic’ and is considered by the World Health Organization to be a top 10 area of public health concern.1 AMR makes infections harder to treat, increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness and death, with annual deaths from AMR predicted to rise to 10 million by 2050.2 Without intervention, it is estimated that by the same year, 10,000 Australians will die each year from drug-resistant infections.3
“We are thrilled to reach this important milestone in our investment to support the development and delivery of new antimicrobials at our Melbourne site, and to be investing in Australia’s advanced manufacturing capabilities,” said Anne Harris, Pfizer Australia & New Zealand Managing Director.
“A key strategic pillar of Pfizer’s product innovation work is our effort to help slow the spread of antimicrobial resistance, one of the biggest global health threats of our time. We are also pleased to be providing 500 advanced manufacturing jobs at our Melbourne site,” Ms Harris said.
Investment in the Melbourne site has included the construction of a new separate facility that hosts two newly installed freeze-drying machines known as lyophilisers, which are used in the antimicrobial manufacturing process. The site has also been selected for a trial of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology designed to support key site processes.
The site upgrades are on track to complete installation work and be operational by mid-2025, with commercial manufacture commencing in 2026.
Medicines currently manufactured at the Melbourne site – which include those for treatment of cancer as well as antimicrobials, anaesthetics, anti-inflammatory and other medicines – are exported to more than 60 countries worldwide and treat up to 15 million patients each year.
