Aarti Drugs Ltd., a Rs 280 crore plus Mumbai based pharmaceutical company, is set to commence commercial production at its joint venture in China from November 2006. The company invested 26 per cent (around Rs one crore) in this joint venture with Huanggang Yinhe to manufacture and market APIs in China.
Talking with Pharmabiz, Digvijya Jadeja, Export Manager, said, "The company is exporting to 85 countries and its export earnings has reached at Rs 100 crore during the year ended March 2005-06. This is almost 50 per cent of its total turnover". The company is one of the leading manufacturing of the anti-diarrheal products. With focus on exports, the company's turnover is likely to cross Rs 300 crore in the current year.
ADL has filed four DMFs with US FDA and awaiting the final approval. The company has been successful in developing state of the art R&D centre at Turbhe near Mumbai, which is recognized by the Department of Science and Industrial Research. The R&D centre developed 30 new molecules so far with the help of dedicated research team of 69 scientists. It is in the process of developing newer molecules through innovative and cost effective process routes.
The company has already started commercial production of intermediates in its US FDA compliant plant at Thane. The company with its inherent strengths and concentration on niche markets along with increased presence in the regulated market is planning to get entry into more regulated markets, he added. The contract research initiative of the company has resulted in receiving orders from a few foreign firms. In the contract manufacturing space, company has successfully developed an anti-fouling agent for Aventis and Merck. The company has two full-fledged plants for custom synthesis.
The company has already established a strong presence in the anti-diarrheal and anti-inflammatory segments with products like tinidazole, metronidazole, secnidazole, ornidazole, diclofenac sodium, ranitidine hcl, nimesulide, rofecoxib, etc. It also manufactures vitamins, anti-asthama, anti-HIV, anti-arthritis, anti-fungal, antibiotics, ACE inhibitors, anti-osteoporosis, anti-diabetic, anti-cholinergic, sedatives and anti-depressant drugs with the help of manufacturing facilities situated at Tarapur and Sarigam.