COMPANY OVERVIEW
Manufacturing and Innovation
Phebra, an Australian owned manufacturer, is committed to providing skills development and employment opportunities in the fields of research and development and production of commercial products for both local and export markets.
Phebra is an equal opportunity employer of more than 120 people and supports the health of Australians by supplying over 65 medicines in critical therapeutic areas.
Together with manufacturing medicines, Phebra collaborates with hospitals in developing sought after therapeutic solutions. It partners with companies to bring critical medicines into Australia. Phebra also supplies and out-licences products globally across the Pacific region, Asia, Europe, Canada, South Americas and the Middle East.
At Phebra, we have a corporate commitment to environmental sustainability. As such, ‘green’ initiatives are in place.
Evolution of Phebra
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Year 1993
Pharmalab, a privately owned pharmaceutical company, was founded as a distributor of speciality pharmaceutical products.
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Year 1998
Ophthalmic Laboratories Pty Ltd, a small volume injectables and ophthalmic facility in Brookvale, New South Wales, was acquired as a manufacturing base.
On these premises, Pharmalab developed a formulation and manufacturing facility supplying hospitals with critical pharmaceuticals that were no longer easily available. Pharmalab established a reliable supply and service for its hospital customers for over 40 products which it continues to manufacture today.
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Year 2000
The Tuta Australian operations of Otsuka Pharmaceuticals of Japan was acquired. Tuta Australia was a medical devices and liquids manufacturing operation at Lane Cove, Sydney. This acquisition provided the site for a new sterile injectables manufacturing plant that was constructed and commissioned in 2002.
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Year 2007
Pharmalab changed its name to Phebra to reflect the growth and globalisation of the business. Phebra is taken from the names of two important gods: Februus, the ancient Roman mythological deity who commanded the role of purification; and the goddess Febris, protector against fevers and malaria. Phebra’s logo is the Greek letter Phi, and represents the golden ratio, a simple but important equation which has fascinated philosophers, builders and scientists since Pythagoras’ day. Phebra and the symbol Phi stand for quality, protection and purity, values which are very important to the team at Phebra.
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Year 2013
Phebra’s manufacturing base moved to a new sterile manufacturing plant at Lane Cove West, New South Wales. This facility allows Phebra to greatly enhance its capacity to manufacture critical medicines for the local Australian and New Zealand markets and wider export markets. It also enables Phebra to conduct all-important development programs, providing skills development and employment for Australian scientists and medical researchers.
MANUFACTURING
Phebra offers a large range of sterile injectable pharmaceuticals manufactured in its facility in Sydney, Australia. The new sterile manufacturing plant at Lane Cove West was officially opened in March 2013.
This plant allows Phebra to significantly boost its research and development and production capacity, for the Australian and overseas markets. In addition to the sterile injectable pharmaceuticals, Phebra also manufactures active pharmaceutical ingredients at this site. Other dosage forms such as topical products (creams) and oral formulations (tablets and suspensions) are formulated at this new site in our development laboratory and manufactured by appropriate specialist groups.
The plant’s increased capacity means Phebra will manufacture an ever-growing range of critical medicines, including emergency injectables, antidotes and other small volume injections. Phebra will also be expanding its capability to conduct all-important development programs in the future.
In addition to manufacturing its own products for Australian and export markets, Phebra is also contracted by other pharmaceutical companies to develop and manufacture products on their behalf.
Phebra’s facility is licensed by the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and is compliant to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).
PARTNERING
Collaborating with Phebra 
Our Business Development team collaborates with clients in developing treatment solutions. Phebra welcomes healthcare professionals to make contact to discuss their ideas for formulation, registration and/or supply of new products. Healthcare professionals may use Phebra as a resource for specialist development, formulation and manufacture of small volume or difficult products.
Phebra also reviews opportunities to partner with companies planning to introduce critical medicines into Australia and South-East Asia. As a fully integrated pharmaceutical company, Phebra offers manufacturing, regulatory, pharmacovigilance, medical information, sales, marketing and distribution services.
Our product development and regulatory teams can assist with concepts of design, packaging and product formulation.
In-licensing of Hospital Specialty Products
Phebra is actively licensing specialty pharmaceutical products to market and distribute in the Asia Pacific region. We have, and seek, successful partnerships with:
- Specialty pharmaceutical companies with no representation in the Asia Pacific region who are looking for a commercialisation partner;
- Multinational pharmaceutical companies that wish to divest proprietary products;
- Biotech companies with products in late-stage clinical development.
Our experienced Sales and Marketing team have a strong understanding of the local market to successfully drive commercialisation of new products.
Our business focus is hospital specialty pharmaceuticals particularly in therapeutic areas and drug classes of:
- pain and anaesthesia
- emergency cardiovascular
- critical antidotes
- central nervous system
- orphan oncology
- obstetrics and gynaecology
- diagnostic agents
- anti-infectives
- specialty pharmaceuticals
- infusion solutions and electrolyte replacements
Out-licensing of Phebra’s Products
Phebra is interested in partnering with international companies who are interested in commercialising our product range. Companies with potential in-licensing or out-licensing inquiries are welcome to contact Phebra. For more information on how we might be able to collaborate, please email us for a confidential discussion at businessdevelopment@phebra.com.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAM
As an Australian pharmaceutical manufacturer, Phebra is committed to reducing its environmental impact.
Phebra is committed to protecting and improving the environment. To dramatically reduce its carbon footprint, Phebra is implementing wide ranging and innovative energy efficiency initiatives.
The opening of the new Sydney sterile manufacturing plant provided opportunity to embed efficiency solutions from the outset, as part of the day to day manufacturing and operations at the plant. The new system will lay the foundation for sustainable manufacturing processes well into the future.
The Energy Efficiency program includes:
- installation of LED lighting in car parks, offices and the warehouse, where it’s expected to cut energy consumption by more than 70%
- lighting sensor system to ensure use on demand
- air conditioning systems expected to save 20%
- solar panelling
- water conservation audits to drive water saving
- pneumatic audits to identify, monitor and rectify air leaks
It is estimated that these initiatives will result in Phebra saving 328 tonnes of carbon each year.
