Anthem Biosciences, the Contract Research Organisation major would invest a total of Rs. 235 crore for its greenfield project on 22 acres which received an additional land allocation from the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB). The unit is located at the Harohalli industrial area in Kanakapura, Bengaluru. This is Anthem’s second unit and which will focus on chemical synthesis and fermentation manufacturing on a large scale. The facility is expected to be commissioned in Q1 2016.

The company received its land allotment in two phases from KIADB. In the first phase, it was 12 acres and another 10 acres was cleared subsequently.

“We are already building a facility at our Harohalli site. We had asked for more land as last time we were given a lot less than we needed. They have now cleared this additional land, and when we finish the entire next phases of building the site, the total investment could be Rs. 235 crore. This land, spanning 10 acres is close to the 12 acres where we are currently building,” Ajay Bhardwaj, chief executive officer, Anthem Biosciences told Pharmabiz in an email.

Construction is already well underway. Many civil works have been completed and Anthem is gearing up for the new equipment to be installed, he added.

The company has categorically stated that it has no plans to go public and its expansions are being debt funded till now. “This would be the plan in the foreseeable future,” he said.

Currently, Anthem employs over 500 people and another 300 are envisaged by end of next year.

The nine-year-old Anthem which was set up in July 2006 is focusing on its core strength of chemistry and biology based actives. It is continuing the development of biologicals, probiotics, enzymes, nutritional products and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).

Capitalising on its inherent strengths, it has made entry breakthroughs into Japan, Latin America and US markets for supplying its range of products in the category of chemistry and biology based actives. The company is eyeing the regions primarily because it indicates promising growth prospects, said the Anthem chief.