Teva CFS Book English

44 I n the early 2000s, the plant in Kfar Saba entered its “golden age”, a decade of exciting challenges and conquered peaks thanks to the joint enthusiasm, cooperation, and real spirit of “togetherness”. One of the big challenges that characterized the period was implementing innovative technology to manufacture extended release formulations. What is the Pellets technology? The Pellets technology is a technology for manufacturing controlled or extended release drugs designed for medications that are sensitive to stomach acidity. Pellets are small sugar spheres coated in layers of insulating material, with an active ingredient on top and another layer of insulation. When a patient swallows the capsule, the stomach encounters the main coating material, the drug dissolves in the intestine instead of in the stomach but the same medical effect is attained. Cracking the technological challenge David Lustig , who managed the Kfar Saba site between 2002 and 2006 and who currently continues to assist the plant as part of his position as Israel and Ireland Division Manager, recounts: “The Pelletstechnology was a new technology for both R&D and Operations. We learned it together and worked in full cooperation. A joint group of R&D professionals and Operations professionals went to Germany to characterize the equipment and were there for an entire month, creating dummy products just to learn. The sense of togetherness was created out of the immense challenge we faced, we didn’t look at each other’s positions, but became a group of enthusiasts that worked night and day to rise to this challenge. There was a real sense of mission since we understood that this was a significant step up for the plant. When we got back to the plant we had to prepare to receive the equipment and this work was shared between Engineering and R&D prior to the launch. Cracking the technological code unified us all”. The Pellets get their own suite Menny Meirom joined Teva in 2002 and served in management positions in production planning, packaging, laboratories, supply chain, and production. Menny, who managed the plant between 2008 and 2011 remembers the preparations for the new technology as a period characterized by shoulder to shoulder team work: “All of the departments in the plant were involved in the process: the Engineering, Production, and T&SA departments prepared a separate production area for the technology. For this purpose we moved packaging lines from one place to another, we made the warehouse area smaller, and created a suitable space. Engineering prepared the first production Releasing extended release technology together Between 2003 and 2005, the plant in Kfar Saba cracked an exciting technological challenge: manufacturing drugs using controlled release technology. Lansoprazole was the first drug to be manufactured using the technology and heralded a new era at the plant. “ The sense of togetherness was created out of the immense challenge we faced, we didn’t look at each other’s positions, but became a group of enthusiasts that worked night and day to rise to this challenge. There was a real sense of mission since we understood that this was a significant step up for the plant “ [David Lustig]