The Mumbai based Elder Pharmaceuticals Ltd is setting up its new manufacturing unit as per the US FDA standards for oral and dry powder injectables. The new facility will be starting commercial production from September 2008. The company has planned to invest Rs 100 cr at Uttarkhand for various expansions in the next 3-4 years time.
The company has seven manufacturing facilities in Maharashtra, Uttarkhand, Himachal) Pradesh (HP) and Nepal. It has a range of therapeutic products for women's healthcare, nutraceutical, pain management, anti-infectives as well as emerging segments like dermatology and lifestyle disorders. Elder enjoys good business from its power brand, Chymoral Forte, Eldervit injections and Enzar Forte tablets/liquid. The aggressively upcoming antibacterial range comprises of Widcef tab/inj, Kefbactam inj, Eldcef inj (Ceftizoxime from Fujisawa, Japan) and Formic injection, which is the first cefaperazone + sulbactam combination not only in India but in the world too.
In an interaction with Pharmabiz, P Balagopal, senior vice president technical and projects, said "Our new manufacturing unit at Uttarkhand will start production from early 2008. The new manufacturing unit will be in the existing premises of our other unit at Uttarkhand and the company has lots of land empty which we will be utilizing soon. For the new unit we will be employing around 200 staff".
Elder's research and development facility at Nerul in Mumbai was recognised by the Department for Scientific and Industrial Research. The company is specialising in modern technology and innovative chemistry driven research leading to the discovery of non infringing API and drug intermediate routes leading to the creation of intellectual property. At present it has a 3-4 new molecules in the pipeline for the existing products.
Elder Pharmaceuticals Ltd has entered into a licensing agreement with an Italy based research oriented biotech company by the name GNOSIS S.p.A. for marketing and distribution of an anti-arthritic product, S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine Disulphate p-Toluensulfonate (SAMe) in India.
Presently, it has a wide export network for formulations and bulk drugs to Caribbean Islands, Colombia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mexico, Nigeria, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Uganda, Vietnam and the products are under registration in many more countries.
"To expand the domain of our international market we are setting up some representative offices, joint activities in various countries. We also provide expertise for setting up the manufacturing and marketing units for formulations and bulk drugs. We are continuous strengthening our presence in the European market", he added.
Recently, company has entered into a licensing agreement with an Italy based research oriented biotech company by the name GNOSIS S.p.A. for marketing and distribution of an anti-arthritic product, S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine Disulphate p-Toluensulfonate (SAMe) in India.
Talking about other expansion, Balagopal, said, "We are also involved in line expansion of our other manufacturing unit at Uttarkhand. We are constructing separate new building for packaging as well as we are increasing our existing manufacturing capacity".