The scientific and technological pharmaceutical company Polysan has started the trial production of three Pfizer drugs at its plant in St. Petersburg, an Interfax correspondent reported from the launch ceremony on December 25, 2016.

The plant will serially produce an original drug for reducing the level of cholesterol in the blood and lowering the risk of cardiovascular complications, an innovative pelletized medication against rheumatoid arthritis and plaque psoriasis, as well as an antibacterial treatment against hospital infections.

Polysan’s director general Alexander Borisov said at the ceremony that, “this project with Pfizer will hopefully not be the last one and will have a continuation.”

Pfizer’s director general in Russia Sofia Kadykova said that the project to make the three drugs was proceeding on schedule and that the first batches would be delivered to the Russian market in 2018.

Polysan’s commercial director Dmitry Borisov earlier said that about 50 million units of pelletized products would be made for Pfizer each year.

Polysan and Pfizer signed a five-year agreement in January 2016. The agreement envisions the transfer of Pfizer’s know-how and quality control procedures.

Polysan develops and manufactures drugs. It constructed a pharmaceutical plant in St. Petersburg in June 2005, whose second stage came on-line in 2012. Polysan produces Cycloferon, Cytoflavin, Reamberin, and other drugs. The plant’s annual capacity is about 15.5 million packages of drugs. Polysan is currently implementing a project to build the third phase of the plant and to localize the production of international pharmaceutical companies’ medicines. It also plans building its own research center.

The company signed a strategic partnership agreement and a production contract with Germany’s Bayer in July 2015, which provides for the production of diagnostic X-ray contrast agents at the St. Petersburg facility. Bayer is providing active pharmaceutical ingredients, know-how, production experience, and consultative services.

Pfizer was established in 1849. It is headquartered in New York and works in more than 150 countries. Its research centers are located in Britain and the United States.