On October 24 of this year, a ceremony took place in Almaty to launch the production of innovative drugs by the Swiss pharmaceutical giant F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. (Roche) in partnership with Nobel Almaty Pharmaceutical Factory JSC (Nobel AFF). The event was attended by the Minister of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Akmaral Alnazarova, Head of Roche’s pharmaceutical division for the CEETRIS region, François du Toit, Nobel AFF’s Executive Director Svetlana Kil, and Industry Executive of the Task Force Department of KAZAKH INVEST, Dinara Issabekova.
The investment project to localize production was implemented based on an agreement between Roche, SK-Pharmacy LLP, Nobel AFF, and the Kazakh Research Institute of Oncology and Radiology (KazNIIOiR), with the support of KAZAKH INVEST. Under this agreement, Roche committed to establishing local production of three biotechnological drugs for the treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer—an aggressive form of the disease that affects up to 20% of breast cancer patients in Kazakhstan.
“The localization of oncological drugs by a global leader like Roche is a huge step forward for our country. This project will not only provide patients with access to advanced treatments but also make a significant contribution to the development of Kazakhstan’s healthcare infrastructure. Such bold and visionary initiatives ensure that our citizens will receive the best care here at home,” noted A. Alnazarova.
The transfer of advanced technologies and production capabilities to local partners will allow Roche not only to reduce healthcare system costs in Kazakhstan but also to significantly expand patient access to essential medicines. Around 5,000 new cases of breast cancer are registered annually, with approximately 1,200 resulting in death. It is expected that this initiative will increase the number of patients receiving therapy to 1,335 by 2026.
“The launch of contract manufacturing of Roche’s original anti-cancer drugs in our country is the result of years of dedicated work aimed at attracting international pharmaceutical giants to the market of the Republic of Kazakhstan. When we first started this journey, the goal of localizing such large-scale projects seemed ambitious and distant. However, thanks to the coordinated efforts of the entire government and the active work of our team at KAZAKH INVEST, we can proudly say today that significant progress has been made. Roche’s decision is one of the first steps toward localizing the production of leading global pharmaceutical companies, such as BigPharma, in Kazakhstan,” emphasized D. Issabekova.
The project was launched as part of strategic initiatives aimed at providing innovative treatment methods to all patients with HER2-positive breast cancer and increasing the share of domestically produced medicines and medical devices to 50%. Localizing the production of critical oncological drugs is a crucial step toward achieving these goals and strengthening the country’s sovereignty in healthcare.