Trigenesis Lifesciences Private Limited, a Bangalore-based firm so far into marketing of pharmaceutical products, is setting up its own manufacturing facility, a new WHO-GMP compliant plant in Uttaranchal with an investment of Rs 5 crore.

Land for the project will be finalised by July end to start construction in September, and commissioning by mid-2006. Trigenesis Lifesciences has become the third company in Karnataka after Micro Labs and Bal Pharma to set base at the excise free zones in North India.

This new facility will help the company offer its spare capacity for contract manufacturing, extend its domestic market presence and also look out for global orders. “Going by the present scenario in the country with no respite from the excise duty on MRP, we have decided to set up our own unit in the excise free zone to capitalise on the market situation,’’ KR Dharani Dharan, managing director, Trigenesis Lifesciences told Pharmabiz.com.

The company markets a range of diabetic, cardiovascular, osteoporosis, anti microbial and women’s health products manufactured currently under contract arrangement.

Besides the new plant, the company is set to launch a slew of new products and expand its sales force to 150 from the current 125. The company had a turnover of around Rs 1 crore from operations between April and June 2005 in the southern markets with its present range of 26 products and is ready to launch another 14 products including a novel diabetic formulation and an anti fungal drug.

Trigenesis plans to consolidate its presence in the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, apart from entering the markets of Chattisgarh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Orissa and Madhya Pradesh within a few months. By next year, the company plans to launch its products in North India. The company will also mark its presence in the export market soon, informed TK Sudhir, director, Trigenesis.

The present flagship brand of the company is Bescal for osteoporosis, a fast moving product, presented in a soft gel form that enables easy consumption by senior citizens who are primarily the target patients.

In the diabetic range, the company has three brands and six dosage forms. Another popular product for the company is Forhem a carbonyl iron supplement for women.