Month: July 2021

In keeping with our goal of nurturing the great talent in South Carolina, Nephron’s co-owners Lou and Bill Kennedy provided funding to create the Kennedy Pharmacy Innovation Center (KPIC) at the University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy. The Center trains pharmacy students about the cross-section of disciplines like entrepreneurship, communications, and health science.  

Our hope is that KPIC launches students to great success in the pharmaceutical industry.

Visit the website for the Kennedy Pharmacy Innovation Center at USC.

WATCH VIDEO AT THE ABC COLUMBIA WEBSITE.

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO)– 250 jobs are coming to Lexington County with the expansion of a global pharmaceutical company. Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corporation and Governor Henry McMaster announced a $100 million investment into the opening of Nephron Nitrile. This new plant, located in West Columbia, will produce medical-grade nitrile gloves in West Columbia.

The governor says this is a big step for South Carolina in the medical supplies industry.

“It is critical that South Carolina lead the charge in bringing the production of life-saving medications and supplies back home to the United States. After last year’s supply chain disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, I announced a new initiative aimed at expanding recruitment efforts of pharmaceutical and medical supply manufacturers in the Palmetto State. Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corporation’s continued investment in South Carolina and our people will go a long way toward creating much-needed independence in this industry. This great company continues to show that we have the talent and the ability to do anything we put our minds to, right here in South Carolina.” said Governor McMaster.

Those interested in working for Nephron should visit www.nephronpharm.com/careers.

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COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) – Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corporation is investing more than $100 million in Lexington County, creating 250 new jobs in the Midlands.

On Thursday, Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corporation announced the opening of Nephron Nitrile, a plant that will produce American-made, medical-grade nitrile gloves.

“Over the course of the last year, we have poured every bit of creativity, energy and resources we have at our disposal into doing our part, as a proud Made-in-America manufacturer, to respond to an unprecedented crisis,” said Nephron Owner & CEO Lou Kennedy. “Nephron Nitrile is the latest part of our ongoing effort to make South Carolina the nationwide example for effectively responding to America’s needs, this time by shoring up the domestic supply chain.

The investment follows Governor Henry McMaster’s Executive Order 2021-17, which established a new, statewide focus on the recruitment of pharmaceutical and medical supply manufacturers and directs state agencies to focus procurement efforts of medicines, medical devices and medical supplies on those made in South Carolina.

The operations will be located within an Opportunity Zone – a program created by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, which encourages economic development and job creation in economically distressed communities.

“Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corporation’s continued investment in South Carolina and our people will go a long way toward creating much-needed independence in this industry. This great company continues to show that we have the talent and the ability to do anything we put our minds to, right here in South Carolina,” said McMaster.

Individuals interested in joining the Nephron team should visit the company’s careers webpage.

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LEXINGTON COUNTY, S.C. — Nephron Pharmaceuticals, a Lexington County based company, says it will create 250 new jobs by expanding into making medical gloves.

The company’s CEO, Lou Kennedy, along with South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster made the announcement Thursday at a news conference.

The company said they will undergo a $100 million expansion, which will allow them to create medical-grade nitrile gloves. The governor said this is necessary as the state and country tries to make sure they’re more in charge of creating personal protective equipment, or PPE.

“It is critical that South Carolina lead the charge in bringing the production of life-saving medications and supplies back home to the United States,” McMaster said. “After last year’s supply chain disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, I announced a new initiative aimed at expanding recruitment efforts of pharmaceutical and medical supply manufacturers in the Palmetto State.”

The lack of PPE, particularly during the early days of the pandemic, exposed gaps in the U.S. medical equipment. Many politicians called for new programs to make sure more of those production lines were based in America.

“Nephron Nitrile is the latest part of our ongoing effort to make South Carolina the nationwide example for effectively responding to America’s needs, this time by shoring up the domestic supply chain,” said Kennedy.

Nephron, which is based in West Columbia, makes respiratory medication. People who are interested in any jobs with the company should go to the company’s careers webpage.

WEST COLUMBIA, S.C. – During a celebration attended by strategic partners, business leaders and public officials, Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corporation CEO Lou Kennedy and Governor Henry McMaster today announced the opening of Nephron Nitrile, a plant that will produce American-made, medical-grade nitrile gloves.

The announcement is the latest Nephron expansion on the sprawling company campus located at Saxe-Gotha Industrial Park in Lexington County.

Nephron Nitrile – which will be headquartered in more than 400,000 square feet of space in the Kennedy Innovation Complex – represents an investment of more than $100 million in the Midlands. The plant will generate 250 jobs for the area.

“This is a historic day for our company, and, we believe, for South Carolina,” said Kennedy. “Over the course of the last year, we have poured every bit of creativity, energy and resources we have at our disposal into doing our part, as a proud Made-in-America manufacturer, to respond to an unprecedented crisis. Nephron Nitrile is the latest part of our ongoing effort to make South Carolina the nationwide example for effectively responding to America’s needs, this time by shoring up the domestic supply chain.”

Kennedy and the governor, along with the entire Nephron team, have made reducing the American dependence on foreign sources of critical health care-related items, such as personal protective equipment (PPE) and lifesaving medications, a top priority. Kennedy joined the governor in April when he announced an executive order to safeguard South Carolina from supply chain disruptions, such as those caused by countries like China, experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic by working to manufacture even more essential, life-saving products in South Carolina.

Now, just months later, Kennedy and her team at Nephron are stepping up once again. In doing the work on the front end of the announcement to secure partnerships with trusted companies to provide raw materials, machinery and technology, Nephron is in position to make a significant difference in bolstering the PPE supply chain by early 2022.

“It is critical that South Carolina lead the charge in bringing the production of life-saving medications and supplies back home to the United States,” said Governor McMaster. “After last year’s supply chain disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, I announced a new initiative aimed at expanding recruitment efforts of pharmaceutical and medical supply manufacturers in the Palmetto State. Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corporation’s continued investment in South Carolina and our people will go a long way toward creating much-needed independence in this industry. This great company continues to show that we have the talent and the ability to do anything we put our minds to, right here in South Carolina.”

Last July, Kennedy announced an investment of $215 million for Lexington County, bringing 380 new full-time jobs to the area by 2024, and adding new office, warehouse and vaccine production space. This announcement included the establishment of the Kennedy Innovation Complex, home of Nephron Nitrile, and these projects are ahead of schedule. Since re-locating company headquarters to Lexington County from Orlando, Nephron has invested more than a half billion dollars in the region, creating almost 2,000 full and part time jobs.

“Lexington County is beyond excited to say congratulations again to Nephron Pharmaceuticals,” said Lexington County Council Chairman M. Todd Cullum. “The county is enthusiastic about this announcement as much or more than the company’s original announcement to locate in Lexington County. Their investment in hard assets and jobs is second to none in South Carolina. Nephron’s partnership with Lexington County has been tremendous in helping to improve the quality of life in our county and the region. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for this extraordinary company.”

A West Columbia, S.C.-based company, Nephron develops and produces safe, affordable generic inhalation solutions and suspension products. The company also operates an industry-leading 503B Outsourcing Facility division which produces pre-filled sterile syringes, luer-lock vials, IV bottles and IV bags for hospitals across America, in an effort to alleviate drug shortage needs. Nephron launched a CLIA-certified diagnostics lab last year where it tests people for COVID-19 and administers vaccinations.

For more information regarding Nephron Nitrile, including orders and partnerships, please email: NephronNitrile@nephronpharm.com.

WEST COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A South Carolina-based pharmaceutical manufacturer is launching a $100 million expansion, something officials say is part of a broader effort to develop a domestic medical supply chain missing during months-long waits for imported medical materials during the coronavirus pandemic.

“It sends a signal to the nation and to the world that South Carolina is going to be ground zero for the effort to on-shore domestic manufacturing of PPE,” Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corp. CEO Lou Kennedy said in her official rollout of Nephron Nitrile, which will produce medical-grade nitrile gloves at the company’s facilities in Lexington County.

“We will not stop until South Carolina leads the way in PPE manufacturing for the entire country,” she added.

Details were shared with The Associated Press ahead of the launch of the project, which will occupy a new 400,000-square-foot facility and employ about 250 people.

With Nephron Nitrile, Kennedy told AP she has secured partnerships with U.S. companies for raw materials, machinery and technology, efforts she said she hopes will bolster the domestic PPE supply chain by early 2022.

Kennedy and South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, on-hand for Thursday’s announcement, have pushed for a reduction in U.S. reliance on foreign-made personal protective equipment and medications, arguing that the development of domestic supplies would safeguard the U.S. from disruptions and delays as experienced in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Earlier this year, McMaster issued an executive order expanding recruitment efforts of pharmaceutical and medical supply manufacturers in South Carolina and directing agencies to prioritize buying medicines, medical devices and supplies made in the state.

On Thursday, the Republican governor referenced that push and applauded Nephron’s growth efforts as part of the state’s burgeoning manufacturing sector.

“This is what the future looks like,” McMaster said. “This is what success looks like, and Nephron is leading the way.”

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham has also repeatedly called for a draw-down of U.S. reliance on China — where many medical supplies are manufactured — saying last year he wanted the U.S. response to COVID-19 to be “so overwhelming China will change its behavior.”

“We don’t want to ever have to rely on China or anyone else for our basic health care needs,” Graham said in April 2020, as he accepted a delivery of 1.5 million surgical masks from China.

Nephron already develops and produces generic inhalation solutions and suspension products, including some used to treat severe respiratory distress symptoms associated with COVID-19. The company also makes pre-filled sterile syringes and IV bags for hospitals across the U.S. and has its own diagnostics lab, where it conducts COVID-19 and administers vaccines.

West Columbia-based Nephron Pharmaceutical Corp. is launching Nephron Nitrile, a new company that will produce three billion nitrile gloves in its first year of operation at its Saxe-Gotha Industrial Park facility.

The gloves, a crucial piece of the PPE needed by medical, health care and other industries during the COVID-19 pandemic, will be manufactured in the newly completed Kennedy Innovation Complex, part of Nephron’s $215.8 million expansion at its Lexington County headquarters.

Nephron is teaming up with CeramTec, a global ceramic and medical technology company with North American headquarters in Laurens, to produce the gloves. CeramTec makes the forms used in molding the gloves.

Nephron owner and CEO Lou Kennedy, whose company faced supply chain issues in getting the PPE it needed to operate at the height of the pandemic, said Nephron Nitrile will help onshore future production, not just in America, but specifically in South Carolina.

“Here you have two South Carolina companies joining forces to create PPE statewide, just the exact way that (Sen.) Lindsey Graham talked about in his press conference from the Nephron lobby last year,” Kennedy told the Columbia Regional Business Report. “I am so proud of this.”

During a news conference today announcing Nephron Nitrile, Kennedy said the new business, which represents an investment of more than $100 million, is expected to create 250 jobs.

“This sends a signal to the nation and the world that South Carolina can be ground zero for the effort to onshore domestic manufacturing of PPE,” Kennedy said. “We can do this.”

Kennedy said her company has also entered into technology sharing agreements with leading South Korean nitrile glove manufacturers and is in discussions with the University of South Carolina and Clemson University to explore synthesizing nitrile, an organic compound.

Nitrile rubber is a nitrile-containing polymer used to make latex-free medical and laboratory gloves. Nephron Nitrile will begin producing the medical-grade gloves by early 2022, according to a news release from the company.

“If we can make the nitrile right here, then we would be 100% all U.S.-created,” Kennedy said.

Nephron produces and manufactures generic inhalation solutions and pre-filled, sterile syringes through its 503B Outsourcing Facility.

Its CLIA-certified lab, which conducted COVID-19 testing for its employees and workers at neighboring businesses, ran low on PPE as the pandemic disrupted global supply chains last spring.

Today, S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster echoed Kennedy’s message that onshoring PPE production will help reduce reliance on foreign manufacturers and distributors.

“Investment in this kind of business is something that’s vital to our future and our national security,” McMaster said. “It’s a great step forward.”

Nephron also aimed to address such concerns through its expansion, which is expected to create 380 jobs and which includes a 110,000-square-foot vaccine production, chemotherapy and antibiotic wing, increased storage and production capacity. Original plans called for Lou and husband and Nephron founder Bill Kennedy to operate two side businesses out of a section of the 240,000-square-foot Kennedy Innovation Center while marketing most of the space to state and county startups.

The entire building will now house Nephron Nitrile and its 34 production lines, Kennedy said.

“The U.S. market is 60% of the worldwide glove market,” Kennedy said. “The VA (Veterans Administration) alone uses 11 billion a year. Our little three billion is just a small amount, but it’s a small amount that you can buy with the best quality on U.S. soil right here in South Carolina.”

Reach Melinda Waldrop at 803-726-7542.

WEST COLUMBIA — Columbia-area pharmaceutical company Nephron will manufacture medical gloves, a $100 million spinoff that should employ 250 workers.

Gov. Henry McMaster, joining the company on its Lexington County campus, praised the project on July 15 for bringing manufacturing of nitrile gloves, considered a more durable material than traditional latex and less likely to trigger allergic reactions.

Making sure that more medical protective equipment is produced domestically has been a focus for McMaster after the United States was scrambling to find adequate supplies from overseas makers as the coronavirus pandemic took hold early last year.

“It is critical that South Carolina lead the charge in bringing the production of life-saving medications and supplies back home to the United States,” McMaster said.

“This is what success looks like,” the governor said.

The spinoff company, Nephron Nitrile, will be housed in the Kennedy Innovation Complex, now being built on its West Columbia campus.

It is expected to begin supplying gloves in early 2022, the company said in a statement.

“Over the course of the last year, we have poured every bit of creativity, energy and resources we have at our disposal into doing our part, as a proud Made-in-America manufacturer, to respond to an unprecedented crisis,” CEO Lou Kennedy said. “Nephron Nitrile is the latest part of our ongoing effort to make South Carolina the nationwide example for effectively responding to America’s needs, this time by shoring up the domestic supply chain.”

The company has a goal of making 3 billion gloves in its first year of operation, Kennedy said. Most gloves and other protective equipment for medical workers now are made in India or China, she said.

The glove assembly operation will be highly automated, and the 250 openings to be filled will be highly skilled ones, with salaries likely to be close to Nephron’s median pay of more than $70,000, Kennedy said.

“We have had no problem whatsoever hiring people,” she said.

Nephron announced $215 million in new investment in the Midlands last year, and that included the Kennedy complex where glove manufacturing will take place.

In its most recent expansion, Nephron purchased a new industrial building for $4.8 million from Lexington County, located about a mile south of the drugmaker’s central campus and across the street from the innovation center site in the Saxe Gotha Industrial Park.

In all, the company said it has invested more than an half-billion dollars and created almost 2,000 full- and part-time jobs since relocating its headquarters to the Midlands from Orlando, Fla., in 2017.

When Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., toured the facility in May 2020 touting his agenda to move production of pharmaceuticals and health care supplies back to the United States from overseas facilities, Kennedy latched on to the idea and told him about some of the ways she thought her company might make supplies in the United States.

“Right now we’re sourcing those around the globe and that’s not going to go away,” Kennedy said earlier this year. “The plan is to make some of what we need and sell the rest so we have a steady supply.”