The Hyderabad-based Porus Drugs and Intermediates Private Ltd is building two new blocks at its Visakhapatnam facility to get US FDA approval. The company is expecting to obtain US FDA nod by the end of 2005, N Purushothama Rao, managing director of the company told Pharmabiz.

The company is upgrading its facilities to meet the international standards as it is primarily targeting US and European markets. As of now, exports contribute to 50 per cent of the company's total turnover.

He added, the company, which has been manufacturing intermediates since its inception, has started producing APIs since January 2005. The company that has been experienced in commercial production and scale-up techniques for process development is now keenly exploring opportunities in the contract manufacturing.

The company is manufacturing APIs such as Ciprofloxacin, Ibuprofen, Nitrendipine, Quinapril HCL, Ramipril, Sumatriptan Succinate etc. It also produces intermediates such as Amlodipine Besylate, Carvedilol, Ciprofloxacin, Citalopram, Ibuprofen, Irbesartan, Itraconazole, Ketoconazole, Ondansertan, Ramipril, Rosiglitazone, Sildenafil Citrate, Sulphathiozole and Sumatriptan Succinate etc.

In addition to its Visakhapatnam facility, the company has two manufacturing units in Nalgonda and one unit at Jeedimetla in Hyderabad.

Its R&D team is engaged in developing new routes of synthesis to synthesize intermediates and API's with patent free processes. The company has a strong synthetic organic chemistry base.

He informed, the company has been investing about Rs 10 crore annually to meet its expansion needs and is expecting a turnover of Rs 50 crore this financial year.