The municipality of Rugvica has been selected as the new location for the Immunological Institute after a solution for the revitalization of the institute was reached in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction, and State Property, announced Health Minister Vili Beroš.
According to the reached solution, the municipality of Rugvica will donate land to the Immunological Institute in the Rugvica – north working zone, with a total area of 69 square kilometers.
“To restore its reputation and further position it on the world map of leading manufacturers of vaccines for various purposes, in the first phase, vaccines against measles and rubella will be produced. Additionally, we are considering the potentials for further production of products needed in the Croatian and world markets,” said Minister Beroš.
Among the products needed in the Croatian market, the minister mentioned snake antivenom, especially during the tourist season.
It was stated that a factory for biological medicines and a separate facility for the production of antitoxins against snake bites will be built there, as well as a biopharmaceutical facility for the production of animal immunoserums, i.e., medicines intended for human and veterinary use, primarily for the production of antitoxins for the venom of European snakes, and a public tender for the construction of this facility is expected to be announced soon.
The Immunological Institute already has permits for conducting animal experiments and breeding permits, so there are basic prerequisites for building a facility for processing hyperimmune horse plasma within the new factory. The necessary resources are located on a farm in Sveta Nedelja.
Construction of the entire factory will begin no later than in two years, while the expected construction time to the functional phase is nine months from the selection of the contractor following the public tender.
“After a series of obstacles and legal challenges, which partially set us back in the context of the previous steps we have taken in the realization of this project, we did not give up thanks to the support of the Government of the Republic of Croatia, the Ministry of Construction and State Property, as well as the Ministry of Health led by Minister Beroš,” said the director of the Immunological Institute Vedran Čardžić.
