“Arab API” a new Giant on the way By ACDIMA , EIPICO & SCZONE

Over 40 years, since the establishment of the Egyptian International Pharmaceutical Industries Company (EIPICO), ACDIMA biggest company  

EIPICO is still developing the pharmaceutical industry in Egypt. 

When  Dr. Ahmed Kelani, Chairman and Managing Director, took the charge of EIPICO 

he adopted an ambitious strategy, aims to achieve added value for the patient and the Egyptian market by providing effective and safe medicines at fair prices, 

After establishing EIPICO3 factory – soon will be inaugurated – to be  the first factory to fully manufacturing Biosimilars and Biologicals ,  starting from the cell to the manufacture of the complete product.

 EIPICO , in a practical response to the directives of the political leadership and in cooperation with ACDIMA and the Suez Canal Economic Zone " sczone " , started to establish  The Arab Company for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients  ARAB API 

This project aims to deepen the pharmaceutical industry by manufacturing & providing active pharmaceutical ingredients, to decrease  the foreign currency import bill for pharmaceutical raw materials in Egypt which amounts to about one Billion US dollars annually,  

This project will have the leadership position through localizing the industry of  active pharmaceutical ingredients , which will positively affect the balance of payments, in addition to   

securing  providing Egypt's strategic needs for active pharmaceutical raw materials, 

lifting the financial burdens on health care, by enhancing and maximize the local component, Eventually , increasing income of foreign currencies by increasing export opportunities, as well as placing Egypt on the export map for effective raw materials. 

This project will also help in facing global economic challenges, especially crises obstructing and hindering  the supply chains of raw materials, which leads to delay or sometimes stopping it. 

The ARAB API  project investments amount to about $ 120 million, and it is based on establishing the first multi-purpose factory for manufacturing pharmaceutical raw materials to be built in Egypt & MENA region.. 

In its first phase, manufacturing "  Cephalosporin "  in an unconventional way, by manufacturing the kay starting material ( extracted from Glucose)

It is expected to produce 350 tons of Cephalosporin, which contributes the equivalent of  8%  to 10%  of the country's needs for pharmaceutical raw materials, saving $ 250 million annually that was used to import API's 

Milestones of the project, have been accomplished : 

• The Arab API Company was established with an initial capital of 10 million pounds, with the contribution of ACDIMA amounting to 60%, EIPICO Company 30%, and the Suez Canal Economic Zone Company for Investment 10%. 

• Feasibility studies are executed by one of the world's biggest companies in the field  

• The project was highly welcomed to be presented at Africa Investment Forum AIF , one of the international , African  economic  & investment forum, which was recently held in Rabat, Morocco, Dr. Ahmed kelani – Chairman of ARAB API , presented the project  in detail to the forum participants, as well as in a special meeting with Dr. Mahmoud Mohie El-Din , Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund how praised the project ., Remarkable number of major international investors and banks in the forum  expressed their interest in investing in the project. 

• Also , an agreement was reached with one of the major  worldwide reputed companies specialized in construction API Factories to construct the factory, 

• At  the end of last year , H.E Prof. Khaled Abdelgahffar Deputy Prime Minister , Minister of Health & Population, witnessed the signing of a cooperation protocol between the ARAB API and the General Authority of the Suez Canal Economic Zone, represented by the Economic Zone Investment Company, with the aim of partnering in the establishment of a multi-purpose factory for raw materials on an area of 96,828 square meters within the industrial zone in the southern sector in Ain Sokhna,

• Project time table is set, Based upon ,the construction will start shortly this year, takes 32 months to start production.