The Mumbai based Ipca Laboratories Ltd is setting up a new manufacturing unit at special economic zone (SEZ) at Indore, with an initial investment of Rs 60 crore. The facility will be commissioned by next year. Company is also planning investments to the tune of Rs 60 to 80 crore every year for the next 3 years.

Talking to Pharmabiz A K Jain, executive director, said, "We are putting up a new manufacturing facility in SEZ at Indore. The project is expected to be commissioned by the next fiscal. Installation work is under progress. This manufacturing facility will follow the guidelines of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). Indore facility will focus on regulated markets, especially for the formulation export to the US market".

Ipca's formulation business in India comprises of eight marketing divisions focusing on key therapeutic segment. During the year company has introduced seven new products in the domestic market. Ipca's 28 per cent business is from the domestic formulation sales. "We have signed
in-licencing agreement with Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI). Currently one of our two molecules, an anti- malarial, is on the way for the phase I clinical trial. We will apply for permission for phase I trial to the DCGI soon," Jain said.

Ipca is also expanding its existing active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturing facility at Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh. This is expected to be completed by the end of October 2007. During the year its APIs and intermediates business recorded a growth of 14 per cent to Rs 281.90 crore.

In the last financial year company has commissioned its new manufacturing unit at Baddi. The activity is working on full stream. During the year company has commercialised its nine active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) for domestic and international markets. The company has also initiated Drug Master Files (DMF) registration activities. Currently, company has filed 23 DMFs for the US FDA. It has also received certificate of suitability (COS) for the 12 APIs from the European Directorate for Quality Medicines (EDQM) for the EU countries. The company would introduce oncology therapeutic segment in the future.