SPI Pharma, a fully owned subsidiary of Associated British Foods Company and a worldwide leader in custom formulation solutions for pharmaceutical manufacturers, has invested Rs. 4 crore to commission a full-fledged drug development and testing centre in Bangalore. The development centre is housed in a 16,000 sq. ft. building with room for expansion located at Veerasandra Industrial Estate. Dr. Venkateswarlu, deputy drugs controller of India inaugurated the facility here.
SPI operations in India are scheduled to begin by January 1, 2006. The work will involve drug development and discovery. IDC will utilise state-of-the-art formulation and analytical equipment to enable finished product development in unique dosage forms. The new facility will enable SPI Pharma to conduct stability studies as per ICH guidelines and include provisions for a cGMP pilot-manufacturing unit. The laboratory will conform to Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) norms.
The four key segments of SPI Pharma's business are excipients, antacid actives, drug delivery systems and drug development services.
John Burrow, CEO, SPI Holdings said, "With India fast becoming a scientific powerhouse in the global pharma market, this new facility is significant to our operations in India. SPI Pharma will be in a position to speed up customised projects using several of its proprietary excipients and delivery platforms. SPI's strategy in India is to develop and test finished drugs using its proprietary drug delivery technologies as well those acquired through strategic partners."
"SPI's major strengths are functional modification of pharmaceutical materials and enabling drug delivery technologies. The company has made investments of over Rs. 4 crore in this new facility and plans to increase it based on the needs of the clients. Our products will be made available to pharma companies around the globe. We are currently working with companies like Cipla, Novartis, Pfizer and Dr. Reddy's in India. We are also in discussions with major API producers like Matrix and Biocon," said Rana Kayal, president, SPI Pharma.
According to Sarath Chandar, vice president, drug delivery, SPI Pharma has gone through a metamorphosis in the last decade. Building on its development and application in specialty excipients, it is now transforming itself as a major contributor to the pharmaceutical industry by providing patient-friendly dosage forms with improved compliance and efficacy. By offering a broad range of formulation solutions, processing capability and customided development services, the company is now a valued partner to the pharma customers.
UK-based SPI Pharma is a global leader in custom formulation solutions and is owned by Associated British Foods Company. Its annual sales are in excess of $8 billion and it supplies to customers in over 50 countries. Some of the leading multinational companies include Glaxo, Pfizer, Aventis, Novartis and Bayer. Technical support is provided by experienced scientists located in the US, France and India. SPI has six GMP manufacturing sites in the Americas and in Europe, and a worldwide sales staff.
SPI is the worldwide leader in antacid actives and its products are used in major brands like Mylanta and Maalox. The companies broad range of excipients are used in several important prescription and over-the-counter drugs. SPI's proprietary drug delivery systems have been used in the recently launched antidepressant, schizophrenia and antiemetic drugs.