The Pune based pharma company, Twilight Litaka Pharma Ltd (TLPL), is expanding its manufacturing facility in Baddi at Himachal Pradesh, with the initial investment of Rs 15 crore. The new facility will manufacture tablets, capsules and liquids. It is expected to be commissioned by August 2007. The company is also looking forward for tax holiday scheme in Sikkim.

Speaking with Pharmabiz, Abhijit Bora, executive director Twilight Litaka, said, "We are investing Rs 15 crore for the expansion of our manufacturing facility at Baddi. We are setting up a new marketing team at Delhi with more than 50 executives by next year. Recently, we have introduced our two new division namely, Nutra and Zenith for the nutraceutical and gynaecology segment. We have 20 products in the pipeline".

The company's Zenith division focuses on servicing two specialities of medical practitioners viz., dermatologists and gynaecologists. The fraternity is presented with a range of products prescribed for patients on a regular basis.

With the Nutra division, company has entered into the nutraceutical segment. The division's foremost brand is "Calm Cream" - a nutritional supplement for skin useful in treatment of psoriases and eczema. It also plans to introduce multi vitamin combinations uniquely formulated for best results. This division caters to the adjuvant and support therapy segments.

The company exports its products to over 30 countries across Africa, South America, South East and Central Asia. TLPL is also involve in the contract manufacturing activity for the leading multinational companies like Novartis, GSK, Wockhardt, Cipla, Pfizer, Lupin and Serum.

Recently, company has signed MoU with Sami Labs Ltd, a Bangalore based company engaged in nutraceuticals having proprietary rights over certain patents, for the purchase of 17 brands. With the additions of these brands the company expects to increase the turnover substantially in the financial year 2007-08. As per the agreement executed with Sami Labs Ltd, the company has acquired ownership of these brands and will have the exclusive rights to manufacture and market these brands in India. Sami Labs will also continue to support the company's foray in the domestic nutra segment with more research based new products in nutraceutical segment.

The company has also entered into an agreement with the Indian arm of a Malaysian company engaged in the marketing of nutraceutical products. Company's net sales increased by 27 per cent to Rs 197 crore this year from Rs 155 crore. Its net profit improved by 47 per cent to Rs 14.08 crore from Rs 9.56 crore. The company's domestic market growth rate stood at 70 per cent for the 2006-07.

The company has well equipped, modern manufacturing testing and packaging facilities at Pimpri, Vadgaon, Vasai and Baddi. The Pimpri Plant has been approved by the Dept of Science and Technology for its R&D facilities. The plants at Vadgaon and Pimpri have been approved by the Pune University for laboratory use by its students pursuing the doctorate degrees.