Turkey's First Biotechnological Drug to Be Produced

Mustafa Nevzat Pharmaceuticals, sold entirely to US-based pharmaceutical company Amgen in 2012, will continue operations under the name Gensenta. Güldem Berkman, General Manager of Amgen Turkey and Gensenta, stated: "Preparations have been completed with the new company to produce Turkey's first biotechnology pharmaceutical."

Mustafa Nevzat, one of Turkey's oldest pharmaceutical manufacturers, is preparing for a breakthrough in biotechnology pharmaceuticals, which is described as the future of the industry. Founded in 1923 and acquired by California-based pharmaceutical company Amgen in 2012 through a 100 percent share purchase, Mustafa Nevzat has been renamed Gensenta following a decision made by the company. Güldem Berkman, General Manager of Amgen Turkey and Gensenta, who met with journalists to explain the change and Gensenta's future plans, stated that they work with the goal of supporting the public's healthy living and serving patients in all areas from biotechnology to generics. Berkman said: "With our new identity and vision, we will continue to support Turkey's domestic production and export drive. With Gensenta, we plan to export to five continents from Turkey. Our target is to export pharmaceuticals from Turkey to America."

We also consulted with the family regarding the change

Berkman noted that Mustafa Nevzat, with its two factories and over 1,000 employees, represents the production, employment and export capacity in the pharmaceutical sector. He stated that as Amgen, they will export to the region comprising 70 percent of the global pharmaceutical market through Turkey. Berkman described the name change process as follows: "With Mustafa Nevzat, we export to 40 countries. As a company, we wanted to proceed with a more global name. Mustafa Nevzat belonged to the family; it was the name of their grandfathers. It did not belong to us. We also consulted with the family and determined a name that they approved of as well. We actually had the right to use the Mustafa Nevzat name until 2021. Gen represents both generic and gene technologies. Senta refers to health. Gensenta has become a company that addresses 94 percent of the sector portfolio."

Biotechnology pharmaceutical launch scheduled for May

Amgen invested USD 35 million in Mustafa Nevzat's facility in Istanbul Yenibosna. Güldem Berkman, emphasizing that Gensenta has focused on R&D investments recently, announced that 13 projects have been completed. Berkman stated: "We have completed a very new biotechnology product. TUBITAK, Izmir Genome and the industrial side, together with us, will launch Turkey's first breakthrough biotechnology pharmaceutical. It will be a product aimed at strengthening the immune system. We plan to start production in May. We are making a joint investment with the state for this project, which will take five years."   Source