URUGUAY – GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) announced the opening of one of its “three new regional vaccine distribution centers” in Uruguay during President Luis Lacalle Pou’s visit to London.

In the next two months, the British company will open one of three new regional vaccine distribution centers in Montevideo to handle more than 12 million doses per year in six South American countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

The operations will be based at Montevideo’s Carrasco Airport, specifically at the Latin America Cargo City facilities, which are part of the airport’s duty-free zone.

The operations will be based at Montevideo’s Carrasco Airport, specifically at the Latin America Cargo City facilities, which will function as an airport duty-free zone.

Latin America Cargo City is a new brand created by Corporación América Airports that combines two existing business units: Terminal de Cargas Uruguay (TCU) and the MVD Free Airport unit.

Lacalle Pou “welcomed GSK’s announcement of the opening of one of its three new regional vaccine distribution centers in Uruguay”.

The decision to move in had been conveyed to Uruguayan authorities in December last year but GSK has now set a date.

The company aims to optimize costs and reduce delivery times through a hub where it will concentrate the products manufactured in its different plants in Europe.

South American news agency MercoPress, the decision to establish a presence in Montevideo was communicated to Uruguayan authorities in December 2021, but GSK collaborations with Uruguay began in 2017 when both parties entered into a cooperation agreement for the joint financing of research projects.

GSK intends to distribute drugs for the treatment of asthma, COPD, allergic rhinitis, epilepsy, and HIV, among other conditions.

In other new developments, GlaxoSmithKline has appointed additional members to the Haleon designate board, the independent company that will be formed following the demerger of its Consumer Healthcare business.

GSK’s nominations for independent non-executive directors are Asmita Dubey, chief digital & marketing officer at L’Oreal SA who built the company’s first joint businesses with Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and Tencent Holdings Ltd, and Marie-Anne Aymerich who led the worldwide Oral Care category at Unilever PLC.

Pfizer Inc, which owns 32% of the Haleon joint venture, has appointed Bryan Supran as a non-executive director. Supran has been senior vice president and deputy general counsel at Pfizer since 2015.

“Together they bring a strong understanding of the global consumer sector, as well as relevant innovation and Asia experience. These appointments now complete the Designate Board ahead of the demerger of Haleon from GSK,” says Haleon Chair Designate Dave Lewis.

GSK has confirmed that the demerger is still scheduled for July 2022.

Liked this article? Sign up to receive our regular email newsletters, focused on Africa and World’s healthcare industry, directly into your inbox. SUBSCRIBE HERE