OMAN – The Sultanate of Oman has unveiled a new US$150 million manufacturing factory located in the Salalah Free Zone called Philex Pharmaceutical Industries, under the patronage of Dr. Hilal Ali Al Sabti, Minister of Health.

The new manufacturing facility will significantly boost local production in line with Oman’s plans to export home-grown products to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Arab countries, as well as the African market.

Moreover, Philex Pharmaceuticals is expected to be an essential contributor to securing the Omani markets with the pharmaceutical needs in the first place.

Oman plans for the plant to produce more than 100 pharmaceuticals, including various types of medicines and vaccines to meet the local medical needs.

The construction project included three stages of development involving establishing an advanced pharmaceutical manufacturer and a development & research center.

Phase I of the facility will produce one billion drug pills and one billion drug capsules for 50 medicinal items. It is expected that the factory will soon complete the project’s second and third phases.

Philex Pharmaceutical announced the successful completion of the first phase of its strategic industrial project, with its main factory obtaining the Good Manufacturing Practice Certificate (GMP) from the Ministry of Health in November 2022.

The factory, which was built according to international standard specifications, will expand manufacturing capabilities, thereby shifting Salalah Free Zone to a regional center for pharmaceutical & biological industries.

Dr. Ali Masoud Al Sunaidy, Chairman of the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ), pointed out that Salalah Free Zone has two more projects underway, one for producing medical tools and another one under construction for producing medical supplies.

Opening this factory marks an added value to the pharmaceutical and medical industries in the free and industrial zones in Dhofar Governorate, which stands as an attractive investment environment for such industries,” he added.

With the opening Philex factory, the total existing investments in pharmaceutical and medical factories are valued at approximately US$200 million in Salalah Free Zone and Raysut Industrial Zone, with 7 factories.

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