Algerian Radio
The public pharmaceutical group Saïdal signed a cooperation agreement this Monday in Algiers with the German company Boehringer Ingelheim, a pioneer in the research and development of biological drugs. The agreement aims to manufacture and produce an innovative treatment for pulmonary fibrosis in Algeria.
The signing ceremony, which took place at the Saïdal production unit in El Harrach, was chaired by the Minister of Pharmaceutical Industry, Mr. Ouacim Kouidri, and the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Algeria, Mr. Georg Felsheim.
The agreement was signed by the Director General of the Saïdal group, Mourad Belkhelfa, and the General Manager of Boehringer Ingelheim for the India, Middle East, and Africa region, Derek O'Leary, in the presence of company representatives and numerous executives and officials from both parties.
The agreement falls within the framework of the strategic partnership between Saïdal and Boehringer Ingelheim—which has been present in Algeria since 2012—aimed at supporting the local manufacturing and production of innovative medicines with high therapeutic value.
Production is planned at the facilities of the El Harrach site, which is outfitted with equipment meeting the standards and techniques adopted in the pharmaceutical field, to ensure the transfer of international knowledge and expertise to the Algerian market and to strengthen national competencies.
The project represents a qualitative leap by providing a locally produced innovative treatment for rare and advanced fibrotic lung diseases. It marks a national first in terms of the local manufacturing of innovative drugs for rare diseases.
Mr. Kouidri stated that the signing of this agreement constitutes "a milestone in the process of developing our national pharmaceutical industry and strengthening its production capacities in the field of innovative drugs." He emphasized that it also "reflects the shared will to build a high-quality partnership between Algeria and Germany."
The minister added that this agreement "falls within the strategy adopted by the State, under the wise leadership of the President of the Republic, Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, aimed at strengthening national health sovereignty, gradually reducing dependence on imports, and guaranteeing patients access to new innovative treatments."
He specified that this signing also aligns with directives aimed at encouraging productive investment and attracting partnerships with major global pioneering companies in the pharmaceutical industry. He described this project as a "successful model of Algerian-German partnership, based on the exchange of expertise as well as the transfer of know-how and technology, in order to ensure the availability of modern, high-quality treatments at competitive costs, while opening up new export prospects to African markets in the future."
For his part, Mr. Belkhelfa indicated that this agreement fits into the strategic direction of the Saïdal group, which aims to support the local manufacturing and production of innovative drugs and strengthen national capacities in the pharmaceutical sector, thereby contributing to the achievement of health security.
Meanwhile, Mr. O'Leary affirmed that this agreement materializes "our constant commitment to supporting the pharmaceutical and biological industries in Algeria and accompanying their efforts to develop an innovation-based pharmaceutical industry through local manufacturing and production." He added that this initiative will contribute to improving patient access to modern, innovative, and high-quality treatments.
