Himalaya Drug Company has planned a major investment of Rs.165 crore to set up a new manufacturing unit and R&D centre for ayurvedic formulations to be located at Bidadi in Ramanagaram taluk on the Bangalore Mysore Road. Plans are being finalized for the project on a 200-acre land, which is expected to be ready by 2005 after the proposal was cleared by the Karnataka Mega projects.

The manufacturig plant will be a state-of-the-art modern facility that deploys superior cutting-edge technology with prior approvals from international regulatory bodies.

The proposed R&D centre will be developing cutting edge ayurvedic formulations with the focus on product development, quality control and standardization. All products are derived through rigorous research and produced in state-of-the art facilities.

The Himalaya Drug Company is actively working in the areas of critical diseases like cancer and AIDS, apart from tropical diseases like malaria. "However, it will take a while for us to complete the studies for which we are vigorously conducting studies for drugs in malaria, cancer, and AIDS", stated Dr SK Mitra, executive director, research and technical services.

The company does not support "Borrowed Science" or practice use of published literature to substantiate efficacy claims. Each Himalaya product undergoes years of primary research and clinical trials before it reaches the market, informed Dr Mitra.

As a dedicated research oriented company, it is this emphasis on R&D that allows Himalaya to produce safe, efficacious and consistent remedies using ayurvedic principles. "We believe that an ideal healthcare system lies in the synergy between ayurveda and modern science. Our effort is to develop innovative products for health and personal care based on contemporary lifestyles," he said.

Although the company does not have a fixed funding allocated towards research and development programmes, it strictly abides by its R&D policy, which states that no investment is too much when it comes to scientifically creating safe drugs and therapies.

The company has over 50 scientists in the research and development wing and has no intentions of looking at contract research whatsoever stated Dr. Mitra.