Pfizer spends $189 mln on French inhaled meds unit

LONDON, Feb 12 (Reuters) - Pfizer Inc (PFE.N), the world's biggest drugmaker, said on Tuesday it was investing 130 million euros ($189 million) to set up an inhaled medicines unit at its Amboise production plant in France.

The operation will employ 440 staff in five years and be a global centre for the formulation and manufacture of inhaled drugs.

Inhalation is widely used for asthma and other respiratory drugs and is also being explored by pharmaceutical companies in a bid to improve delivery of other medicines, although this is not always straightforward.

Pfizer last year pulled out of partnership to market the first inhaled insulin product, Exubera, following disappointing sales. (Reporting by Ben Hirschler; editing by Rory Channing)