From Warngau to all over the world: The bio-pharmaceutical specialist AMW has gained a foothold on the global market with its active ingredient implants. Yesterday, State Parliament President Ilse Aigner visited the growing company.
Lochham
– A number of innovative medical technology and pharmaceutical specialists have settled in the region in the shadow of Sandoz-Hexal in Holzkirchen. One of them is AMW GmbH, abbreviated for Arzneimittelwerk Warngau. Based in the Birkerfeld industrial estate near Lochham since 2010, the company has been working on delivery systems for medications, especially implants. President of the state parliament and constituency representative Ilse Aigner (CSU) got a picture of it yesterday.
Specialized in drug implants
A lot has happened at AMW since Aigner was last a guest as Bavarian Economics Minister in 2017. “We were a completely different company back then,” states CEO Philipp Karbach. AMW had reached the mark of 100 employees and annual sales were eleven million euros. Since then, around 30 jobs have been added and sales have almost tripled. The company sold the “transdermal systems” area, i.e. active ingredient patches, and specialized in the development and production of active ingredient implants.
These look almost like a piece of mechanical pencil lead and are inserted into the layer of fat under the skin - usually on the stomach. While the body breaks down the implant, similar to the self-dissolving suture material used in operations, it continuously releases the active ingredient in the required dose for months. Such implants are used, for example, in prostate cancer therapy or breast cancer. Karbach revealed that it is even planned to be used for eye diseases in the near future. In the case of thyroid diseases, as Aigner asked with interest, the expensive development would not be competitive, explained Karbach: The tablets are too cheap. The implants are aimed at a “valuable niche”. AMW is represented in 45 markets around the world, through sales through its own sales force or partners in other countries, as well as through licensing deals in which AMW supplies to pharmaceutical companies.
Unique know-how
The company is quite unique with its know-how. There are few companies that are active in formulation development and only one or two that can also produce. “Some supposed competitors have given up in recent years because it couldn't be reproduced or they simply couldn't produce it,” says the AMW boss, not without pride.
The company has been making a profit for two years, reports Karbach. Aigner helped in a sensitive phase, the CEO recalled. When the expansion of production was imminent in 2018, she made contacts so that financing could be arranged. There was tailwind from the Bavarian Growth Fund, which Aigner had founded as Economics Minister, and the European Investment Bank (EIB) gave a loan.
Aigner told the AMW employees she was pleased that she was able to help at the time - and was impressed by the development. Innovative jobs and vital products are created here. This is something that needs to be supported: “We would do well to ensure that supplies are available to us.”
New building planned again
AMW is now planning another expansion: the company has purchased the neighboring property. Production for up to three additional manufacturing areas is to be created there. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2025 and detailed planning is currently being prepared. “We don’t want to stand still,” said Karbach.
This time the financing is already secured. But finding employees has become a challenge. Good word of mouth speaks for the company. But the poor public transport connection is an issue: many young people today don't have a car, some don't have a driving license, and don't want one. The Hoki+ on-call bus is therefore important as a pragmatic solution for all companies in the commercial area. Aigner took this as an appeal to politicians.