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Will there be adequate supply?
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Ready to meet your TAMIFLU needs
To date, Hoffmann-La Roche has been able to meet the increasing global demand for
TAMIFLU. While supply during a pandemic is not certain, there is
supply currently available for organizations.
Recently, Roche announced a significant expansion of its global manufacturing network for the production of TAMIFLU. By the end of 2006, Roche will have the capacity to produce up to 400 million treatments
annually, an increase of 100 million.
The enhanced capacity will be achieved through the addition of external production contractors ,
identified over the past few months, as well as the expansion
facilities owned by Roche.47
Expanded global production network47
The Roche global network for the manufacture of TAMIFLU will include several Roche sites and more
than 15 external contractors located in 9 different countries around the world. These production
contractors have been selected primarily on the basis of their ability to produce substantial quantities
of intermediates and finished materials, in accordance with the Roche quality standards, in a relatively
short time frame.
Following our open invitation to third parties last year, we have now identified partners who will allow us to
expand the global TAMIFLU capacity to as much as 400 million treatments annually by the end of this year.
Of course, the rate at which this capacity is utilized will depend in large part on the future order flow from
governments around the world. We are now ahead of demand in meeting the manufacturing challenge, but as a research-based
company, our role goes beyond this.
-William M. Burns, CEO Roche Pharma Division47
(Roche press release, March 16, 2006)
DECREASED TAMIFLU DEMAND HAS LOWERED PRODUCTION OUTPUT
In April 2007, Roche announced that the company is scaling back production of Tamiflu (oseltamivir) due to lower than
anticipated demand for the product. In early 2007, Roche received orders from governments, health agencies and
corporations. Nevertheless, Tamiflu supply outstripped demand.
Since 2004, Roche has more than doubled production capacity of Tamiflu to meet the needs of government stockpiling
programs. In 2006, Roche produced 190 million treatments. At the beginning of 2007, Roche established the global
manufacturing capacity necessary to make 400 million treatment courses a year, a goal set by Roche that includes a
network of eight Roche sites and 19 external partners.
While Roche will be winding down the production schedule, the company will maintain a stock of intermediates and an
active pharmaceutical ingredient supply chain. Gearing up of production will be triggered when either Roche inventories
fall below targeted levels or the World Health Organization declares a pandemic has evolved into Phase 4, meaning human
to human transmission. Nevertheless, surge production is limited and Roche will require up to four months to ramp-up
production.
Roche cannot guarantee that there will be Tamiflu available during a pandemic. The only way to ensure that your
organization has an adequate supply of antiviral medication during a pandemic is to purchase a quantity in advance.
Learn about how much antiviral medicine the government is stockpiling.
Find out how to order TAMIFLU.
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