Paris Dakner Microspherules Pvt Ltd, established in 1991, will be setting up a unit in North Chennai to make a range of products using Novel Drug Delivery Systems (NDDS). The company is also planning to initiate a vaccine - serum unit, a first of its kind in South India. The total investment for setting both the projects would be around Rs 10 crores. Two and half acres of land will be the total area on which the facility will be function.

The company as a part of the NDDS is planning to bring out liquid filled capsules and pre filled syringes. The clinical trials for the liquid capsules are over. "The liquid capsules have an added advantage over the soft gelatine ones. They are more patient compliant and administering is easy. It also creates a curative feeling among the patients," said S Mohana Sundaram, managing director, Paris - Dakner.

Speaking about the pre filled syringes, he said, "These injections will have an edge over the conventional ones as there are less chances of it getting polluted either through human beings or environment. Moreover the correct dosage of the medicine to be injected is also filled, so there is no chance of any mistake happening while administering it." He did not reveal any details about the vaccine serum unit.
Sundaram said that the company would also have a Clinical Research Organization at Siruseri Women's Biotech Park. The unit is expected to come up on two acres of land with an investment of Rs 10 crores. It is expected to become functional by the first half of 2008.

He said," We will not be doing research on new molecules, but on the newer drug deliver system of already approved molecules, formulation development, analytical methods and standardization. For e.g., bringing out the patch or liquid form of some medicines etc."

Speaking about the export plans, D Venkateswara, general manger, international sales and marketing, Paris - Dakner, said," we are planning to export our products to some parts of South Africa, North Africa, Middle East and Philippines. We are already in contact with the Ministry of Health of these countries for registering our company." He said that initially there were plans to export 25 products in the form of tablets and capsules and then at a later stage, injectables and bulk drugs would also be exported.

"Our company is planning to enter into joint venture and we are in talks with countries like South Africa, Tunisia, Jordan, Philippines. We will supply raw materials and bulk formulations and the partner firm in those countries would do the local registration. The marketing would be done jointly," said Venkateswara. He said that the profit sharing ratio could not be revealed now.

He said that Paris - Dakner was planning to start their own distribution chain in Russian and CIS countries. It is expected to become functional by the end of 2007.