Respimat^® success story: Boehringer Ingelheim invests EUR 72 million in production capacity in Ingelheim

Ingelheim, 3 June 2015 – Boehringer Ingelheim has invested EUR 72 million at its Ingelheim location to expand filling and packaging capacity for the Respimat inhaler from 25 million units to more than twice as many per year. As a result, the pharmaceutical company has also created 50 new jobs. This was the second step of a total investment of approximately EUR 170 million in Germany. The expanded Respimat production in Ingelheim went into operation today.
In Dortmund, where Boehringer Ingelheim microParts GmbH manufactures the Respimat inhaler, expanded Respimat production with an investment of EUR 100 million began operations in September 2014. A total of 100 new jobs were created in conjunction with the investment.

Following the expansion of inhaler production in Dortmund, investments in Ingelheim were also needed to adjust for the higher demand. Here, in modern high-tech facilities, inhalers from Dortmund are filled sterilely with pharmaceutical active ingredients kept in cartridges before being packaged and then sold all around the world. With this investment, Boehringer Ingelheim is ensuring that it can supply the global market with its innovative respiratory preparation for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma.

"Over the past years, Boehringer Ingelheim has demonstrated its longevity in the development of the Respimat and our many new therapies for the treatment of pulmonary diseases," commented Christian Boehringer, Chairman of the Shareholders’ Committee of Boehringer Ingelheim. Sometimes you need this staying power for something you believe in, said Boehringer.
The success of the inhaler is attributable to its advanced technology. Without using propellants, the Respimat soft inhaler generates a long-lasting fine mist that allows the relevant active ingredient to reach the patient’s lungs optimally when breathing in normally. This helps patients when it comes to breathing better, climbing stairs and living life in general.
"Our goal is to help respiratory patients around the world achieve a better quality of life with modern medications and innovative technology," emphasised Christian Boehringer.

In addition to an innovative inhaler, treatment of a disease like COPD also requires a pharmaceutical active ingredient, emphasised Dr Wolfgang Baiker, Member of the Board of Managing Directors, responsible for Operations. "We make major investments like those in Dortmund and Ingelheim because we also see considerable future potential in new treatment options for respiratory diseases. Respiratory diseases will continue to be a very important therapeutic area for Boehringer Ingelheim, in which we will conduct active research and development. The Respimat^® will remain the inhalation device for delivering our respiratory medications."

The development of the Respimat began in Dortmund at STEAG mircroParts back in 1991, and the first production building for it was completed in Ingelheim in 1998. This was followed by the acquisition of microParts by Boehringer Ingelheim in 2004 and the introduction of Berodual in the Respimat in Germany as the first product on the market. Spiriva Respimat for COPD was launched on the European market in 2007 and subsequently in other countries around the world, most recently in the US this year. In 2012, Combivent Respimat was introduced in the US. This was followed in 2014 by Striverdi Respimat in Europe and the US, while Spiriva in the Respimat also obtained a license extension as an additional treatment for patients with asthma*. At the end of May, Boehringer Ingelheim obtained licensing for an important new long-term treatment for COPD in the US (Stiolto Respimat), which is soon to be introduced on the market in the first European countries with the name Spiolto Respimat.

Boehringer Ingelheim
The Boehringer Ingelheim group is one of the world’s 20 leading pharmaceutical companies. Headquartered in Ingelheim, Germany, Boehringer Ingelheim operates globally with 146 affiliates and a total of more than 47,700 employees. The focus of the family-owned company, founded in 1885, is researching, developing, manufacturing and marketing new medications of high therapeutic value for human and veterinary medicine.

Social responsibility is an important element of the corporate culture at Boehringer Ingelheim. This includes worldwide involvement in social projects, such as the initiative “Making more Health” and caring for the employees. Respect, equal opportunities and reconciling career and family form the foundation of the mutual cooperation. In everything it does, the company focuses on environmental protection and sustainability.

In 2014, Boehringer Ingelheim achieved net sales of about 13.3 billion euros. R&D expenditure corresponds to 19.9 per cent of its net sales.