Rusan Pharma Ltd, a leading manufacturer of Nicotine transdermal patches has recently launched a state-of-the-art R&D centre ‘Navin Saxena Research & Technology’, clinical research organisation – ‘Quest Care’ and a specialised manufacturing unit for transdermal patches at the Kandla Special Economic Zone (SEZ).

The facility, owned by parent company Rusan Pharma Ltd, is the only one in the country to manufacture Nicotine transdermal patches in India. Set up in alignment with the PM’s ‘Make In India’ initiative, it will go a long way in making the Kandla SEZ vibrant and investor-friendly.

The new establishment at Kandla houses three subsidiaries, namely the Navin Saxena Research and Technology (NSRT) Centre, Quest Care which is the company’s clinical research organisation and Rusan’s dedicated Transdermal Patch Facility. Together, these three units will handle the myriad aspects of addiction and pain management drug manufacture and export as a part of their portfolio, including research and innovation, licensing, IPR, patenting, quality assurance.

NSRT is a dedicated R&D facility that has state-of-the-art technology and equipment. Research at NSRT will focus on pain, addiction, CNS and orphan diseases, drug delivery and platform technologies. It has been set up with a vision to develop, register and license its new products to third parties. It also aims to undertake contract research and joint development projects.

Quest Care (P) Ltd is a modern, well-designed, custom-built clinical research organisation (CRO) with five independent clinics having a total of 104 beds. It offers services such as medical writing as per ICH guidelines, bioavailability/bioequivalence and end point studies, and bio-analysis. It is compliant with all regulatory requirements for clinical research. Spread over about 70,000 square feet of area, the CRO incorporates various labs, speciality units and a library of archives.

Addressing the media, Dr. Navin Saxena, chairman, Rusan Pharma Ltd, said, “With our continuous efforts and innovation we are proud to announce the biggest government & private Indian company deal between Brazil Health Ministry & Rusan Pharma Ltd for USD 20million per annum for their program for smoking cessation.” He went on to describe the importance of innovation in the present economic climate, where investors want something relevant to today’s needs. Transdermal patches, the first to be manufactured indigenously by Rusan in India, fall in that niche. “This facility is the answer to the hunt for new research and medicines by global investors. We invite them to visit us and see it for themselves.”

Kunal Saxena, managing director of Rusan Pharma Ltd, “Rusan and NSRT are dedicated to develop and deliver innovative products to the patients. And we are the largest and reputed suppliers of life saving drugs (Buprenorphine, Methadone and anti-TB drugs) to UNODC / UNOPS / Global Fund, MoH - Russia, CIS, South Africa, Kenya, Mauritius, Nepal, Myanmar”

Rusan Pharma Ltd is one of the few Indian companies that offer a one-stop-shop solution for treating various forms of addictions such as drugs, alcohol and smoking. It is also well known for its pain management products that address the entire spectrum of pain from mild to severe.

A pre-inaugural event saw the signing of a memorandum of understanding between NSRT, Moscow State University (Russia), Symbiosis College Pune, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda and IIT Kanpur. The MOU highlights NSRT’s commitment to collaborative research. This would further flare up reverse brain drain for Indian students.

The inauguration included a short ceremony and interaction of the dignitaries with the media. It was followed by a site visit and tour of the newly built facilities.

Rusan group companies together have a current turnover of 300 crore and intend to grow to 600 crore in 2018. Being the first Indian company to do research on addiction and few orphan disease, they intend to expand their new 100 crore facility by 70-100 crore in next year. Through this new facility India can enter the innovation drive for the niche categories targeted by NSRT as a participant of $USD 375 million global licensing market.