GSK Sets up Production Operation in Iraq for Competitive Advantage

Iraq pumped $3.8 billion into its healthcare infrastructure last year and an established GSK production presence could provide a competitive advantage.

Healthcare giant GlaxoSmithKline, which has been supplying the Iraqi market for two decades, is now setting up a production operation in the country.

Operations will begin with GSK's agreement to manufacture and package drugs at the Baghdad facilities of Iraqi private company Modern Drug Industries, reports the U.K.'s The Telegraph. As the government begins to open up the private sector, "an increasing number of international pharmaceutical companies are vying for business in Iraq," according to the article.

An established GSK production presence could provide a competitive advantage, as it has in pharma expansions into other regions.

However, operational risks