Raichur-based Shilpa Medicare has slated an invested Rs 90 crore to set up an oncology formulations facility. The unit will come up at the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Limited Pharma Formulations Special Economic Zone (SEZ) at Jadcherla in Mahaboobnagar district.

The company has been allotted the land and has raised the funds through internal accruals and banks. The plant construction will begin in a few weeks. "We are looking to commission the advanced plant in the next 18 months", Vishnukanth Bhutada, managing director, Shilpa Medicare Limited told Pharmabiz.

"We have a total of 25 APIs in oncology and therefore we will do well in formulations. Not only that, we are one of the few dedicated oncology drug manufacturers in the country," he added.

Shilpa is a recognized manufacturer and supplier of a range of oncology active pharmaceutical ingredients and intermediates. Some of its leading products include Gemcitabine HCL, Irinotecan HCl, Trihydrate, Oxaliplatin, Bicalutamide ,Carboplatin, Anastrozole, Cisplatin, Temozolomide, Capecitabine, Docetaxel, Letrozole, Thalidomide and Topotecan HCl. In fact, Gemcitabine HCL, Oxaliplatin and Irinotecan are off patent in US and EU.

The APIs plants located at Raichur are EU GMP, TGA-Australia, KFDA-Korea and WHO certified. The company has Certificates of Suitability from EDQM for Ambroxol HCl, Ticlopidine, Carboplatin, Buflomedil HCl and a Korean FDA approval for Ambroxol HCl. It also undertakes contract research-manufacturing with orders from global pharma majors. Several Drug Master Files have been filed for its range of oncology APIs in the US. In August 2009, Shilpa entered into a joint venture agreement with ICE S.r.l. and PCA, Spa of Italy to set up a new company Raichem Medicare (P) Ltd. Ending fiscal March 2009-10, the company clocked earnings of Rs. 263 crore.

According to analysts, the market size for oncology drugs is estimated at around Rs.1,200 crore and registering a 30 percent growth. The market is dominated by multinational companies like Roche, Pfizer, GSK, AstraZeneca, Merck and Fresenius Kabi, AG. The leading Indian companies are Dr Reddy's, Biocon, Natco, Sun Pharma, Cipla, Dabur, Intas and Venus Remedies.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) reports that an estimated 12.7 million new cancer cases and 7.6 million cancer deaths occurred in 2008. India reports around 10 lakh cancer patients annually. The major causative factors are life style related to tobacco chewing, smoking, dietary factors, alcohol and lack of exercises. The World Cancer Report reveals that the incidence of cancer is set to increase at an alarming rate globally, with new cases increasing by 50 per cent in 2020.