ICT-

Benya + Al Fanar join forces in Saudi: IT infrastructure contractor Benya Group has signed final agreements with Saudi’s Al Fanar to establish a tech-focused JV in the Gulf country, dubbed Alfa Benya, according to a company statement.

MANUFACTURING-

Spain’s Copreci is partnering with local appliances firms Fresh and El Araby Group to build our first gas safety valve factory. The USD 7.6 mn facility will produce 15 mn valves a year and is set to start operations in April 2023, according to a statement by the state’s Ebdaa initiative.

PHARMA-

Haleon will separate from GSK in Egypt next year: Haleon — the former consumer healthcare unit of pharma giant GlaxoSmithKline that was spun off over the summer — will kick off operations under its own brand in Egypt next year, Haleon North Africa General Manager Nabil Besri reportedly told Al Mal. Haleon Egypt will locally produce 90% of its products, he said. Haleon, which controls brands including Advil, Voltaren and Otrivin, demerged from its parent to become the world’s largest standalone healthcare business back in July.

Drugmaker Pfizer is in talks with the government to manufacture its Prevnar vaccine in Egypt, which is designed to treat pneumonia, Patrick van der Loo, the company's Regional President Middle East, Russia and Africa (MERA) told Al Arabiya, describing it as “a major investment.”

Local meds firm Eva Pharma and US-based multinational Lilly will partner to produce insulin for diabetes patients in the local market, according to a cabinet statement. Under an agreement signed yesterday, Lilly will supply Eva Pharma with the active ingredient used to make insulin at a reduced price, as well as tech transfer to help Eva Pharma manufacture the diabetes meds. Eva Pharma is set to export the product across the African continent and hopes to treat as many as 1 mn patients by 2030.

RETAIL-

Kuwait’s Al Babtain to get financing for West Cairo mall: Abu Dhabi Islamic Finance (ADIFinance), the leasing subsidiary for Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank Egypt, will lead an alliance that includes the National Bank of Egypt (NBE)’s Al Ahly Leasing and Factoring Company (ALC) to provide EGP 420 mn in financing to Kuwait’s Al Babtain Group for the construction of the Royal Park Mall in Sheikh Zayed, according to a press release (pdf).