Fourth time in a row, the Tamil Nadu pharma industry is all set to host the biggest pharmaceutical trade expo in South India, 'Pharmac South 2018' at Chennai Trade Centre between July 6 and 7 this year to usher in product and machinery exhibitions.

The theme of the fourth edition of Pharmac South is, “Challenges and opportunities for start-ups and growing companies in Pharma”.

The fourth edition of the pharmaceutical and neutraceutical trade fair is organised by the Tamil Nadu branch of the Indian Drug Manufacturers’ Association (TN IDMA) in association with Indian Pharmaceutical Association.

On the first day, the international marketing speaker, Shiv Khera from Mumbai, will speak on the subject, “Winners don’t do different things, they do things differently”, after the inauguration by state health secretary in the presence of Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI).  

On the second day, July 7, DCGI Dr. S. Eswara Reddy will talk on ‘Regulatory challenges and opportunities for start-ups and growing pharma companies”at 10 am in the morning. There will be three panel discussions on various subjects in the afternoon.

According to official sources, the major attraction of this year’s expo is that contract manufacturers and small scale pharma players from five states in South India will assemble at the trade centre as product exhibitors. They will put stalls and showcase their products in order to attract potential customers from across the country. Moreover, the product range will show innovative production technologies, active pharmaceutical ingredients, finished products and machineries. The event will also focus on six topics in the two days seminars to boost marketing.

Sources from the organising committee informed that the exhibitors include contract manufacturers, manufacturers of analytical instruments, neutraceuticals, dietary supplements, ayurvedic & natural medicines, pharma software, pharmaceutical formulation companies, pharmaceutical machinery, contract research & product development, raw material suppliers, patent & trademark lawyers and banks & financial institutions focusing on pharma.

The visitors include pharma CEOs, promoters of start-ups & pharma SSI units, patent & regulatory professionals, marketing professionals, supply chain & outsourcing professionals, brand managers & exporters and HR and training managers of pharma companies.

Approximately, more than 300 exhibitors are expected to present their innovative products. This year only exhibitors will be allowed to take part in the buyer-seller meet organised as part of the event. Technology providers will showcase the latest machineries and technologies used during different stages of pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Pharmac South is South India’s leading event for product and technology exhibitions in the pharma sector. The organisers hope that, during these two days, about three thousand trade visitors from all over south India will make their way to Chennai Trade Centre.

J Jayaseelan, chairman, TN IDMA, said “Contract manufacturers from Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Karnataka, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh will be putting the stalls. On the second day there will be a buyer-seller meet in which only the exhibitors will be allowed to do business interactions with the outsourcing people and brand managers of big companies. Brand managers, marketing officers and outsourcing people from north Indian and foreign countries will be the customers of the contract manufacturers. Conference is organised mainly for the marketing, branding and outsourcing people”.