The Mumbai-based mid-size pharmaceutical company, Shreya Life Sciences, is planning to export Hyaluronidase, an anaesthetic spreading agent for ophthalmic operations to US, once its export-oriented manufacturing unit (EOU) at Aurangabad becomes operational by the first quarter of 2005.

Hyaluronidase is developed from sheep testes. According to senior Shreya officials, Wyeth and Shreya are the only manufacturers in the global Hyaluronidase market. Therefore the overseas market for the product should be quite attractive.

"Our Aurangabad EOU will be ready by the first quarter of 2005. We plan to export Hyaluronidase to the US after getting an approval from US-FDA," said Ajit Bhaskar, director, Shreya Life Sciences. The only condition from the US FDA is that the testes have to be collected from sheeps grazed in authorised farms from countries like Australia and New Zealand, he added. The company is already marketing the product domestically.

The company is setting up the EOU at an estimated cost of Rs 35 crore.

Shreya Life Sciences recently launched recombinant human insulin under the brand name Recosulin. The company is also set to enter human growth hormones (HGH) and hepatitis B vaccine segments. It has received DCGI approval for the launch of HGH and is awaiting another clearance for the hepatitis B vaccine launch, said senior company officials.