Algeria’s Saidal has restarted a solvent distillation unit in Médéa, a preparatory step toward producing an input for penicillin manufacturing.
Pharmaceutical group Saidal has brought a solvent distillation unit in Médéa back into service after more than 20 years of inactivity, according to a statement from Algeria’s Pharmaceutical Industry Ministry reported by Algérie Éco. The restart took place on Thursday, September 24, under the supervision of Saidal director general Younes Bouarara.
The unit has begun distilling butyl acetate, the ministry said. It described that operation as a step toward the future production of raw material used to make penicillin G and its derivatives. The report did not say that production of the penicillin-related material has begun.
A step toward local pharmaceutical inputs
The ministry placed the Saidal Médéa unit’s restart within its strategy to expand domestic production of inputs for the pharmaceutical industry. It expects such production to support what it calls health sovereignty and reduce spending on imports.
Those are the ministry’s stated objectives. Algérie Éco’s report gave no date for the next production stage and no figures for the unit’s capacity, investment cost or potential effect on imports.
Algérie Éco cited the ministry statement as carried by Algeria’s APS news agency.
Sami B. is the founder and editor of Algeria News Gate, an independent English-language platform covering Algeria’s political, economic, and business developments. Based in Europe, he reports on official announcements, economic trends, and international relations involving Algeria.