Square Pharmaceuticals Limited (SPL), the healthcare company from the US$ 200 million Square Group, is all set to strengthen its foothold in the global pharmaceutical arena, by commissioning the new state- of- the- art formulation facility at Dhaka. The Dhaka unit, which has been built as per requirement of the US-FDA, Code of Federal Regulation 211.63, is ready for production of oral solid dosage forms (tablets and capsules). It has also provision for incorporating new separate production facilities such as cephalosporins and soft-gelatin, said Md. Mizanur Rahman, manager, International Marketing Department, SPL.
Ensuring the cGMP compliance, the factory has been designed and validated by the world renowned Bovis Lend Lease Pharmaceuticals. SPL is currently the largest pharmaceutical company in Bangladesh and it has been continuously in the1st position among all national and multinational companies since 1985. Established in 1958, the company was converted into a public limited company in 1992. The sales turnover of SPL was more than Taka 4 billion (US$ 73 million) with about 14 per cent market share and a growth rate of about 23 per cent.
Including the new facility, the company has now three manufacturing facilities. The formulation plant at Pabna is the first manufacturing facility of Square Pharma and it has a bulk drug manufacturing plant at the same location. The first formulation plant, which started operation in 1958, is currently a modern plant that fully complies with WHO-cGMP requirements. It has earned ISO 9001 certified in 1998. The pharmaceutical bulk manufacturing plant at Pabna was established in 1992 and the commercial production started in 1995.
Recently Square Pharmaceuticals has set up its plant in Lahore, Pakistan at a cost of Rs100 million, which is the first ever investment in Pakistan's industrial sector by any Bangladeshi firm.The plant will begin with the production of a range of antibiotics and market the products at prices lower than those of the existing brands by 25-30 per cent.
Today, the bulk plant of SPL is the largest manufacturing unit of pharmaceuticals bulk products in Bangladesh. The plant has separate facilities for manufacturing antibiotics and non-antibiotics. It is well equipped with modern machinery and has captive power generation facility. The plant has a modern effluent treatment plant (ETP) for environment protection.
"SPL provides highest emphasis on quality as per defined Quality Policy. It uses advanced technology for production and quality assurance and development works, which includes design and selection of process that maximizes efficiency and minimizes the environmental impact, accelerated and long term stability testing, product quality optimization, translation of new scientific insights into the products, synthesizing bulk chemicals for chemical division and development of cost-effective and economic formulation," he added.
According to him the company has very sophisticated chemical lab, instrument lab, microbiological lab and product development lab, all of which are well equipped with modern and sensitive instruments to carry out analysis as per pharmacopoeial requirements as well as research works.
In addition to that, technically competent staffs with sound knowledge and experience are the main assets. The product mix of the company are tablets, capsules, injectables, liquids, dry powders, semi-solids, solid suppo-sitory formulations, metered dose inhalers (MDIs), dry powder inhalers (DPIs) and sterile ophthal-mic formulations.
The company caters to almost all major therapeutic areas in the formulation products and the bulk drugs produced by the company are antibiotics including amo-xycillin trihydrate BP (compacted), amoxycillin trihydrate BP (micronised), cloxacillin sodium BP (compacted), cloxacillin sodium BP, micronised), flucloxacillin Sodium BP (compacted), flucloxacillin sodium BP , micronised), ampicillin trihydrate BP (compacted), ampicillin trihydrate BP , (micronised) cephalexin monohydrate BP (compacted) and cephalexin monohydrate BP (micronised). The non-antibiotics includes diclofenac sodium BP, diclofenac potassium BP, diclofenac INN (diclofenac free acid), diclofenac diethyl amine BP and paracetamol BP.
Currently, the bulk products under development are rofecoxib, fluconazole, loratadine, cephradine, Cetirizine, Ciprofloxacin.
SPL has the strongest marketing network for pharmaceutical marketing in Bangladesh. More than 1000 people are working in the Marketing Division including more than 500 Medical Representatives for product promotion. Product Management Department has more than 25 Brand Executives from different disciplines (Graduate Pharmacists, MBAs, and Medical Doctors).
Medical Services Department has a group of graduate doctors for interacting with target medical professionals. Market Research Department has adequate manpower and professionals.
SPL has its own robust distribution network spread throughout the country. There is one Central Depot and additional eleven distribution centers throughout the country and all of these are covering retailers, wholesalers, and institutions or organizations in every nook and corner of the country everyday. Efficient computerized network system connects each distribution center with the headquarters and the factories to ensure smooth operation in minute detail.
Square has now extended its horizons by exporting and marketing its products abroad. Square is now strengthening its export operations on its way to becoming a high performance global competitor by supplying quality pharmaceuticals at competitive price. Starting its first exports to UK and Singapore in 1987, it is now exporting to several countries of Europe, Africa and Asia, which includes Russia, Sri Lanka, Papua New Guinea, Ethiopia, Ukraine, Pakistan, Myanmar, Kosovo, Nepal, and Yemen. As a recognition to its export contribution to national economy, Square received the National Export Trophy in 1997. In near future, Square's pharmaceuticals will be available in many other countries of Europe, Asia and Africa. It also has the global partnerships for exclusive marketing and distribution with Bayer AG, Germany and Eisai Co. Ltd., Japan. By virtue of these Agreement SPL is marketing many research products of the global partners in Bangladesh.