Lek's Bioproduction Mengeš awarded Factory of the Year 2022

  • Lek's Drug Substance Bioproduction Mengeš has been named Factory of the Year 2022 by the Finance daily.
  • Factory of the Year, the most prestigious competition for manufacturing companies in Slovenia, aims to showcase best practices of Slovenian factories and key factors in production.
  • DS Bioproduction Mengeš is the only industrial center for modern biotechnology in Slovenia and a  key Novartis facility for the clinical production of  biologics.
14. 10. 2022

In Zagorje ob Savi, DS Bioproduction Mengeš, a unit of Lek, was awarded the flattering title of Factory of the Year 2022 by the Finance daily. The award is intended for Slovenian companies that have most successfully implemented the Industry 4.0 concept and thus stand out for technological advances in production, employee care, concern for sustainable development and business growth. Lek's DS Bioproduction Mengeš impressed the expert jury with its high level of automation, digitization and use of data science, as well as its culture of empowerment, innovation and curiosity.

"Lek's experts have always been considered leaders in the field of biologics and biosimilars in Slovenia, emphasized by the fact that our Mengeš site is the cradle of Slovenian biopharmaceuticals and the only industrial center for modern biotechnology in Slovenia. We are an important development and manufacturing site for biologics and biosimilars, not only domestically, but also internationally as part of Novartis. Industry 4.0 is the era of intelligent software tools, the Internet of Things and data science, enabling us to analyze, manage and improve the efficiency of complex processes. These new ways of working allow us to create more added value and develop new breakthrough solutions for patients. The excellence of our medicines and the health of patients around the world is our greatest reward, and we are proud that our manufacturing excellence is recognized in other ways as well," said Robert Ljoljo, President of the Management Board of Lek d.d. and Novartis Country President Slovenia.

DS Bioproduction Mengeš is a key Novartis facility for the clinical manufacturing of biologics, which means that the vast majority of Novartis biologics go through the Mengeš facility at certain stages of development. This is where Lek's experts produce the active ingredient erythropoietin for kidney failure and oncology patients, the active ingredient for a biosimilar that has been available to oncology patients for many years, as well as a number of innovative and biosimilar active ingredients for clinical use in the drug testing phases.

The DS Bioproduction  Mengeš is a smart and highly automated production facility, managed by  intelligent software tools. "We are introducing a number of technological  innovations into our work processes aimed at increasing efficiency, product  quality and sustainability. We are proud of the production and development milestones that we have achieved and surpassed time and time again, and above all of the tremendous amount of in-house know-how that we can rely on. Congratulations go to the entire team, more than 300 of us work in this unit alone, which with its creativity, collaboration and commitment pushes the  boundaries in the field of biopharmaceuticals both in Slovenia and  beyond," said Polonca Kuhar, Site Head DS Bioproduction Mengeš. 

At the closing event of the Factory of the Year 2022, the editorial board of the Finance daily also awarded Lek's Mengeš site the award for the most sustainable factory.

The Factory of the Year award is the second award in a short period of time that confirms Lek's leading position among Slovenian companies. In September, the company was also named the most reputable employer in Slovenia for the third year in a row.

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Novartis is the leading provider of medicines in Slovenia, where Lek d.d.,Novartis Pharma Services Inc. and Sandoz d.d., operate. Together we are building and maintaining the reputation of a dynamic, ethical, and trusted pharmaceutical company. Lek develops, manufactures, and markets effective, safe, and high quality medicines and active pharmaceutical ingredients. With our knowledge, quality, and experience we have gained an important role inNovartis' organizational structure, especially in the Novartis TechnicalOperations, Global Drug Development, Novartis Business Services, and the generic division Sandoz. We are the leading Sandoz development center, and one of the key development sites for technologically complex projects. We invest a great deal in the development, education, and training of our employees.Novartis invested in Slovenia more than EUR 3 billion since 2003.

About Sandoz
Sandoz, a Novartis division, is a global leader in generic pharmaceuticals and biosimilars. Our purpose is to pioneer access for patients by developing and commercializing novel, affordable approaches that address unmet medical needs.Our ambition is to be the world’s leading and most valued generics company. Our broad portfolio of high-quality medicines, covering all major therapeutic areas, accounted for 2021 sales of USD 9.6 billion.

About Novartis
Novartis is reimagining medicine to improve and extend people’s lives. As a leading global medicines company, we use innovative science and digital technologies to create transformative treatments in areas of great medical need. In our quest to find new medicines, we consistently rank among the world’s top companies investing in research and development. Novartis products reach nearly 800 million people globally and we are finding innovative ways to expand access to our latest treatments. About 108,000 people of more than 140 nationalities work at Novartis around the world.
 Find out more at www.novartis.com.

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This press release contains statements and forecasts of future business operations. The forecasts include estimates based on all theinformation currently available to us. Should these forecasts prove unreliable, the actual results of business operations could be different from those expected.

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For further information, please contact:
Gregor Makuc
Communication & External Engagement
Lek Pharmaceuticals d.d.
Telephone: 01 580 22 43

gregor.makuc@sandoz.com