The Mumbai based leading pharmaceutical company Indoco Remedies has commissioned a new R&D centre at Navi Mumbai at a cost of Rs 225 mn, in order to fully integrate into CRAMS space. The research activities at the facility include synthesis of APIs, process improvement and development of non-infringing processes for APIs & intermediates, formulations development, analytical studies and regulatory affairs.

Talking to pharmabiz, Aditi Kare Panandikar, director business development, said, "Indoco aims to transform itself into a completely integrated player in CRAMS space". India has emerged as a secure territory for research and manufacturing of patented products and the company would leverage this opportunity. The facility would be aimed to work for firms from the European countries and US.

"Unique feature of the R&D centre is the Kilolab, which is versatile to perform a wide variety of reactions and complete multistage intermediate and API processes for pre clinical phase I to phase III studies. It will in turn amplify Indoco's contract development and manufacturing services to the rest of the world", explained Aditi.

Indoco views its R&D capabilities as a vital component of its business strategy that will provide the company long-term competitive advantage. The company intends to take up NDDS research and expects to commercialise the first NDDS product in 2008, it is in the process of setting up a separate R&D team for the same.

The company has applied for two Indian patents and two more are in pipeline. Recently, company's first shipment has gone to US and it is expected to go its second shipment by the end of 2007.

With the commissioning of its new R&D centre, Indoco now has in place a total of five facilities for formulation, Goa plant I (oral solids, creams and liquid dosage plant, approved by MHRA-UK and Darmstadt Germany) Goa plant II (sterile facility for ophthalmic and injectables: approved by US FDA) Baddi (WHO: GMP), Aurangabad and Tarapur facilities for non regulated market. For API, scale up facility- Kilolab is backed by two commercial manufacturing facilities at Patalganga as per US FDA standards and Rabale is as per WHO GMP standards.