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AstraZeneca subsidiary iPR Pharmaceuticals inaugurates low-emission facility in Puerto Rico

By on October 9, 2018

SAN JUAN – Gov. Ricardo Rosselló Nevares participated Tuesday in the inauguration of the facilities of iPR Pharmaceuticals, the first pharmaceutical plant in Puerto Rico that operates a cogeneration facility powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG).

IPR Pharmaceuticals Inc. is a subsidiary of AstraZeneca PLC and is based in Canovanas, Puerto Rico. With its $5.6 million investment, the company seeks to reduce its carbon footprint to 40 percent through its cogeneration method.

“For us, it is very satisfying to witness the inauguration of these facilities, for AstraZeneca is a [pioneering] production-innovation agent, while taking firm action on reducing the impact of carbon on the environment,” the governor said.

Rosselló Nevares thanked “iPR Pharmaceuticals and AstraZeneca for trusting in the solid recovery of Puerto Rico and for laying the foundation so other companies can also generate production on the island while raising awareness about environmental impact. The multimillion-dollar investment they are carrying out in Puerto Rico also contributes to the local economy, [and is] something we need to continue developing.”

iPR Pharmaceuticals is a manufacturer of solid pharmaceutical products for AstraZeneca, a global biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialization of prescription medicines, primarily for the treatment of diseases in three therapy areas – Oncology, Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism and Respiratory.

“The installation of LNG cogeneration represents our commitment to sustainability; as corporate citizens, we are at the forefront of sustainability efforts,” said AstraZeneca’s executive vice president of Operations and Information Technology, Pam Cheng.

(Courtesy)

“We are proud to be the first pharmaceutical company in Puerto Rico to establish a natural gas cogeneration plant. We are focused on providing safe and effective pharmaceutical products to our patients in a more sustainable way,” said the president and general manager of iPR Pharmaceuticals, Ileana Quiñones, adding that her team was inspired by the sustainability objectives of AstraZeneca and presented a proposal to the company’s Sustainability Fund to finance the project.

When the proposal was approved in 2015, the planning process began, and its operation has been fully operational since the second half of 2018.

“I am pleased to confirm that our team is collaborating in eight other similar projects so we strengthen the climate of doing business on the island,” Economic Development Secretary Manuel Laboy Rivera said. “This event shows that for several years, the industrial sector has been working to create resilient and eco-friendly energy production systems. With this cogeneration plant, AstraZeneca reaffirms its commitment in Puerto Rico. ”

AstraZeneca was ranked third in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, where it has been included 16 times. It operates in more than 100 countries, and millions of patients use their medicines around the world. iPR, which serves 121 markets worldwide, has been operating in Puerto Rico since 1986 in 65 acres in Canóvanas since 2000.

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