Technology transfer / Localization · CIS & Central Asia · Announced 26 May 2026
Kazakhstan Ministry of Health → Steppe Pharmaceuticals
Kazakhstan has approved Steppe Pharmaceuticals' US$71M biopharmaceutical plant in the Alatau SEZ to make 20 medicines, including cancer, rare-disease and immunobiological products, with full-cycle production targeted by 2034.
Parties: Kazakhstan Ministry of Health (Kazakhstan) → Steppe Pharmaceuticals (Kazakhstan)
- Deal type
- Technology transfer / Localization
- Value
- $71m
- Territory
- Kazakhstan
- Therapeutic area
- Multi-therapy
- Asset
- Biopharmaceutical plant in the Alatau SEZ (Almaty region) for 20 medicines, including oncology, rare-disease and immunobiological products
- Announced
- 26 May 2026
Our analysis
Why this matters
Kazakhstan's government has approved an investment agreement between the Ministry of Health and Steppe Pharmaceuticals for a KZT 32.5 billion (about US$71 million) biopharmaceutical plant in the Alatau special economic zone in the Almaty region. The plant will make 20 medicines, including cancer and rare-disease treatments and modern immunobiological products.
This moves Kazakhstan's localization policy into the most expensive part of the market. Oncology and rare-disease biologics account for a large share of public drug spending relative to their volume, so producing even part of that portfolio locally could cut the import bill disproportionately. It also needs technology partners, which have not yet been named.
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Source: The Astana Times