Swiss pharmaceutical company Sandoz has broken ground on a new $440 million biosimilar manufacturing facility in Brnik, Slovenia, marking a strategic expansion to capture what the company describes as an unprecedented $222 billion market opportunity from biosimilar patent expiries over the next decade. The investment brings Sandoz's total planned commitment in Slovenia to over $1.1 billion by 2029.
Strategic Investment in European Manufacturing Hub
The Brnik facility represents the latest component of Sandoz's plan to establish a fully integrated European biosimilar manufacturing hub. The new plant will focus on sterile product manufacturing for injectable biosimilars, including preparation, filling, assembly, and packaging operations, with an expected opening in 2028.
"Our investment in biomanufacturing in the heart of Europe marks another important milestone in building our own independent manufacturing network – one that enhances our control, resilience and agility across the global supply chain," said Glenn Gerecke, chief manufacturing and supply officer at Sandoz.
The Slovenia expansion complements ongoing investments in the country, including a biosimilar drug substance production facility in Lendava and a biosimilar development center in Ljubljana. These investments position Slovenia as Sandoz's largest direct foreign investment destination.
Market Leadership and Growth Strategy
Sandoz currently leads the global biosimilar market with 11 marketed molecules and maintains an industry-leading pipeline of 28 molecules. The company reported 11% growth in its biosimilar segment during the most recent quarter, with CEO Richard Saynor describing biosimilars as "the fastest-growing segment of our pipeline."
"As the global leader in the field, we are investing to meet rapidly growing patient demand," Saynor said. "This is another major step that will position Sandoz uniquely to capitalize on the unprecedented biosimilars market opportunity of the next decade."
The company recently launched two new biosimilar products in the US market: WYOST (denosumab-bbdz) and Jubbonti (denosumab-bbdz), which reference Amgen's XGEVA and Prolia respectively for treating osteoporosis and cancer-related skeletal events.
Strategic Geographic Focus
Despite industry concerns about US tariffs, Sandoz has concentrated its manufacturing infrastructure in Europe, which accounts for 55% of the company's sales. According to CFO Remco Steenbergen, the US represents less than one-fifth of total sales.
Gerecke highlighted Slovenia's strategic advantages, citing "a highly skilled talent pool in natural sciences and engineering; a central location with world-class logistics infrastructure; cost-competitive production; and a stable, innovation-driven environment closely connected to academia and research."
Manufacturing Capacity and Future Outlook
During the company's Q1 2025 earnings call, Saynor indicated that recent capacity investments have positioned Sandoz to meet manufacturing needs without requiring additional capital expenditure in the short- to mid-term. The Slovenia investments specifically address mid- to long-term fill-finish capacity requirements.
The new facility will incorporate the latest technology and include laboratories for quality control, designed to enhance Sandoz's ability to deliver high-quality, affordable biosimilars globally. The company's total 2024 net sales reached $10.4 billion, with its portfolio of approximately 1,300 products providing 900 million patient treatments annually.
