The 5th edition of the Convention on Pharmaceutical Ingredients (CPhI), India – 2011 was inaugurated today at the Bombay Exhibition Centre along with Pharmaceutical Machinery & Equipment (P-Mech) Convention which is co-located along with the CPhI event. The first day of the event saw the presence of almost 26,000 visitors from the top pharma, biotech and machinery companies from across the world.

The event which is organised annually with the aim to increase the focus and interest on Indian manufacturers with respect to developing export oriented business was successful in attracting lot of interest from the exhibitors and visitors alike. The organisers informed that this year CPhI and P-Mech saw rapid increase in the number of participants compared to the previous year’s reflecting the success of this show and its commitment towards increasing the overall business opportunities.

One of the main highlights of the first day of the event was that it was attended by the Governor of Maryland who visited the event with a view to understand and attract the Indian industry to invest in the State of Maryland.

This year there are 110 small and medium scale pharma companies participating from across the country through the Pharmexcil Indian Pavilion.  Speaking about the same Dr P V Appaji, executive director, Pharmexcil said, “We are very happy about the tremendous response we had received from the industry till now by being part of this international event. This will not only give them good opportunity to interact with future business partners but will also enable to boost the export potential of the country.”

He stressed that with a view to encourage more companies, Pharmexcil had given special discounts to the Indian pharma manufacturers who are participating at the CPhI India event. He informed that the companies participating through Pharmexcil India Pavilion were given smaller space of nine square metre which is not given otherwise by the CPhI authorities at a far cheaper rate than offered to others.

He informed that this year, with a view to attract and provide better understanding of the Indian industry to the foreign delegates and visitors, Pharmexcil would be providing full data base of all the Indian pharma companies who are registered members with them free of cost to those visitors who register themselves with Pharmexcil.

“These initiatives are to encourage more companies to come forward and participate so that small and medium scale manufacturers can get enough opportunity to grow in this competitive market. Events like this provide perfect opportunity to interact and develop contacts, which are mutually beneficial to both the participants and the visitors. The pro-activeness and support of the industry is evident by the increase in the number of participants this year compared to last year,” pointed out Dr Appaji. Last year 95 companies had participated through the Pharmexcil India Pavilion.

The event will also have many interesting sessions which will be held through the CPhI India Conference Series 2011, organised with a view to promote interaction between the industry's key decision makers and participants. Each seminar will feature in-depth analysis and case studies led by a line-up of carefully selected speakers from the pharmaceutical, biopharmaceuticals and consumer healthcare industry.