Apotex Pharmachem produces hand sanitizer

Apotex Pharmachem manufactured bottles of hand sanitizer to help in the battle against COVID-19 PHOTO: Apotex Inc.

BRANTFORD, Ont. — Apotex Pharmachem, Canada’s largest producer of active pharmaceutical ingredients, is producing hand sanitizer in support of frontline workers who are battling the COVID-19 virus.

A division of the Toronto-based pharma manufacturer Apotex Inc., the facility located in Brantford, Ont., produced an initial run of 500 one-litre bottles of sanitizer which were donated locally to Brant County to be distributed among local community agencies and healthcare facilities.

“Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen an overwhelming number of Ontario businesses join the fight against COVID-19, whether it’s re-tooling to manufacture vital supplies like hand sanitizer, masks, or ventilators, or delivering those supplies to our frontline health care workers and first responders,” said Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario, in a statement. “Companies like Apotex are showing the Ontario spirit by stepping up to the plate and offering to help. Working together, we will defeat COVID-19 and get through this crisis.”

As the demand for hand sanitizer increased, Apotex Pharmachem says it worked to re-tool part of its facility to begin production of this much-needed product, which is licensed under Health Canada for distribution in Canada.

“This is a challenging time and Apotex is committed to supporting the communities in which we work and live,” said Jason Fischer, Apotex Pharmachem’s Vice-President & GM, also in a statement.

The company says it will produce an additional 1,200 litres of sanitizer in the coming weeks to be further distributed within the City of Brantford, Brant County and Six Nations.