NETDA signs an in-vitro diagnostic reagent project a new high-tech pharma plant to be operated by Turkish group Medsan Pharmaceutical Ltd on Jan 18. [Photo/WeChat account: gh_78ba52d6e1ed]

A new in-vitro diagnostic reagent research and production plant owned by Turkish group Medsan Pharmaceutical Ltd was officially launched on Jan 18 in the Nantong Economic & Technological Development Area – located in the prefecture-level city of Nantong, in East China's Jiangsu province – setting the stage for a raft of new projects that will be developed in the zone in 2021.

The plant, which cost 500 million yuan ($77.3 million), will cover a total area of about 2 hectares, with a construction area of about 21,000 square meters. It will be engaged in the research and development and production of COVID-19 detection reagents.

The core products will be high-tech products, which will be exported to Europe, Asia, South America, Africa and a large number of counties and regions all over the world.

The plant is expected to start production in the second quarter of 2021 and the daily output is expected to reach 1.5 million doses, with an annual output worth over 2 billion yuan.

It will become the largest domestic COVID-19 detection reagent research, development and production base in China.

Medsan Pharmaceutical was established in 1988 in Ankara in Turkey and it has been managed by two pharmacists, Ahmet Rustu Olcay and H. Huseyin Dokmeci, since 1990.

During the last 30 years, Medsan's main market strategy has been importing and selling products which do not have a presence in the prescribed pharma market in Turkey.