Amendments to the Patents Act are to be presented for first reading this evening, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said this morning.

The aim, he said, was to encourage and sustain the pharmaceutical industry, especially companies manufacturing generic products. Patents would be regulated by a special regulatory body.

Dr Muscat was speaking during the inauguration of Actavis’ new warehousing facilities Bulebel industrial zone.

The company, which employs 730 people, €13 million in the facilities.

Asked about last year lay-offs by the company which saw some 60 employees in the research department lose their job, Actavis Malta managing director Sergio Vella said that the decision to lay off people was a result of the inevitable rationalisation process following the merger of Actavis with US giant Watson.

He said that since then the company has been doing well in a highly competitive market.

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