The Hyderabad-based Neuland Laboratories has executed the first commercial shipment of Ciprofloxacin Hydrochloride USP to the US. The shipment is valued at $ 4.08 lakh. In a press release, Dr D R Rao, CMD of the company, said the consignment would be used for the launching of the generic product by one of Neuland's large customers in the US.
"A few other customers have shown interest to launch the product in the US and Neuland sees new opportunities and will be catering to a wide-ranging market in the coming months," he said.
He said Bayer's patent for Ciprofloxacin Hydrochloride USP, a billion-dollar product, was expiring in December 2003 and Neuland, with its emphasis on quality, wanted to have a large size of this market.
Neuland's production facility was inspected by US FDA in February 2002 and the plant was approved for the manufacture of all non-sterile APIs in April 2002. The company also received Certificate of Suitability from the Council of Europe for Ciprofloxacin Hydrochloride EP in March 2002 and was catering to the needs of several generic companies in Europe.
Dr Rao said approvals from international regulatory authorities were being converted into commercial opportunities. The company was exporting to more than 70 countries -- mainly to the US, Canada and the European countries, the Middle East, including Jordan and Iran, South-East Asia, Japan, Australia, South Africa and the Latin American countries like Mexico and Brazil.
Neuland has two world-class manufacturing facilities, the first unit at Bonthapally village in Jinnaram Mandal and the second unit at Pashamylaram, near Patancheru, both in Medak district, very close to the city of Hyderabad. The R&D unit is located at the first plant at Bonthanpally.
The company's product range includes anti-asthmatics, cardiovascular, fluoroquinolones, anti-ulcerants, anti-fungals, anti-depressants and anti-psychotics. The products under development include beclamethasone, fluticasone, salmeterol and lisinopril. The company has a turnover of over Rs 100 crore.