Roche to end manufacturing of key antibiotic amid EU’s generic woes
The decision comes as the EU is moving to reduce dependencies on Asia’s generics
Swiss pharma company Roche said it is seeking a buyer for one of its key antibiotics and plans to shut down local manufacturing operations by 2030, according to local media.
The company’s site manager, Jürg Erismann, told AWP Financial News on Wednesday that the decision to end production of Rocephin [generic name: Ceftriaxon] in Kaiseraugst reflects rising manufacturing costs, falling prices and intensifying generic competition.
Rocephin is an antibiotic used to treat several severe bacterial infections, including meningitis and pneumonia.
The move comes as the EU pushes to reduce reliance on Asian generics and relocate production closer to the bloc – including to Switzerland – under the new Critical Medicines Act.
Roche is not the only Europe-based company facing pressure in the antibiotics market, which is unprofitable due to high-volume production.
Last year, Danish manufacturer Xelia shuttered production of several key antibiotic ingredients.
Half of Xellia’s active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) were on the World Health Organization’s list of essential medicines.
Likewise, Roche’s product is on the WHO’s and the EU’s list of critical medicines.
A Commission spokesperson told Euractiv that its health emergency department, HERA, met Roche on 20 January to discuss plans to discontinue production as early as 2026.
Roche said around 100 production employees would be affected.
However, the company is not divesting entirely from the field. Roche is investing 1.4 billion Swiss francs in its Basel site, and has a new antibiotic candidate in development.
“The decision to sell Rocephin is therefore actually a life cycle issue,” the drugmaker’s site manager told AWP Financial News.
Other EU manufacturers are also investing locally. Sandoz announced last year that it would invest €12 million to expand its broad-spectrum antibiotic facility in Kundl, Austria, covering the full production chain.