AGC to boost its production capacity for Tafluprost, active pharmaceutical ingredient for glaucoma treatment

AGC (Asahi Glass Co., Ltd.) announced today that it has decided to make an investment of about 800 million yen to build a new production line of Tafluprost, an active pharmaceutical ingredient for glaucoma treatment, in the Obama Plant of its subsidiary AGC Wakasa Chemicals Co., Ltd. (hereinafter AGC Wakasa Chemicals). The new production line is scheduled to start operation in around March 2013, and this addition will approximately double AGC’s current Tafluprost production capacity.

The number of people suffering from glaucoma, which is a major cause of loss of sight in many   countries including Japan, is estimated to be as many as 60 million worldwide. In addition, the number   of patients is forecast to increase further in the future due to factors including the increasing aging population, and the demand for glaucoma medications is projected to expand accordingly.

AGC developed Tafluprost, an active pharmaceutical ingredient for glaucoma treatment, jointly with   Santen Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.(hereinafter Santen Pharmaceutical), and is supplying the product for   a glaucoma medication which Santen Pharmaceutical released in 2008. Developed by combining   AGC’s unique fluorine chemistry and organic synthesis technologies, Tafluprost has excellent features   such as reducing elevated intraocular pressure, which is considered the primary cause of glaucoma.

Glaucoma medication which contains Tafluprost is currently being marketed by Santen Pharmaceutical and Merck & Co., Inc. (Head Office: New Jersey, U.S.) in 36 countries, mainly in Europe and Asia, including Japan.

In addition, in February 2012, Merck received the approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market its glaucoma treatment which contains Tafluprost in the United States. It is expected that the marketing areas and sales volume of Tafluprost will grow further in the future.

AGC has been producing Tafluprost in its Chiba Plant. Meanwhile, it has decided to build a new production line in AGC Wakasa Chemicals to approximately double the current production capacity in order to be prepared for the expected expansion of demand in the future. The new production line will  be capable of integrated production of Tafluprost from the main raw materials, which will significantly increase the productivity.

AGC responds to various needs in the area of pharmaceutical and agrochemical intermediates and   active ingredients through making use of the fluorine chemical technology it has cultivated over many years to offer distinguished products.