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Ethypharm
to set up R&D and mfg units
Ananth
Iyer - Mumbai
Plans
slew of product launches with NDDS
 Ethypharm,
Europe’s leading company specialising in drug delivery systems,
has identified India as one of the strategic destination for development
of novel drug delivery systems.
The company has earmarked Rs 25 crore investment in the next couple
of years to set up an R&D centre and a production facility to
develop and manufacture products based on novel drug delivery technologies.
Ethypharm India Pvt Ltd, the wholly owned subsidiary of Ethypharm,
has raised Rs 30 crore for the proposed expansion through allotment
of preferential shares to the US-based insurance major AIG, company
sources revealed.
A Rs 10-crore R&D centre is to be based at Ambernath (60 kms
from Mumbai). The centre will predominantly take up Ethypharm’s
global drug delivery projects - mainly sustained release and taste
masking systems. “The centre will attract around 20-25 projects
per year,” Deepak Sanghvi, manager - business development,
Ethypharm, told Express Pharma Pulse. The R&D facility is likely
to be operational in the fourth quarter to 2001 calender year, Ethypharm
officials say.
Besides, Ethypharm is also keen to assist Indian companies interested
in developing new delivery systems. The company has recently licensed
isosorbide mononitrate sustained release product to E Merck India
and is currently holding talks with at least three Indian companies
for similar licensing arrangements.
The manufacturing unit, with a capacity to produce - tablets, is
slated to be operational by 2003. The cost of the project is estimated
to be around Rs 15 crore. Besides the domestic market, the unit
will also cater to South Asia and the Middle East markets.
Meanwhile, the three-year old Indian subsidiary is targetting a
growth of over 300 per cent in the 2001 financial year. It is hoping
to achieve this by rapidly introducing a string of new products,
armed with new drug delivery systems. “Though the market for
new drug delivery systems in India is a measly three to four per
cent, it has witnessed a definite growth in the recent years,”
says Vipul Gandhi - vice-president - sales, marketing and communication.
Globally, NDDS account for 15 per cent of the drug market.
For the first time, Ethypharm will introduce the proprietary Flashtab
technology for manufacturing fast orodispersible tablets with taste
masking properties. The first product to be launched in India using
this technology will be secnidazole. “Among anti-amoebics,
secnidazole is the only molecule with once-a-day dosage regimen.
However, it enjoys a very small market due to its unpalatable metallic
taste. The market for secnidazole will definitely grow once this
metallic taste is masked,” adds Gandhi. Later in the year,
Ethypharm will employ the Flashtab technology to azithromycin and
plans to launch the product with taste masking properties in the
suspension and tablet forms.
Further to this, Ethypharm has lined up sustained release OD dosages
for amroxol (mucolytic agent), tizanidine (muscle relaxant), allopurinol
and morphine sulphate for launch in 2001. Another product to enter
the Indian market is Mesalazine (for the treatment of ulcerative
colitis) with sight specific delivery system.
Ethypharm was founded in 1977. Since then, it has already developed
around 50 products focusing on drug delivery systems. Ethypharm
set up its operations in India in 1998 by acquiring Lloyd’s
Laboratories. Later, in 1999, it acquired low-dose sustained release
aspirin from Sustime - a Batliboi group company. Ethypharm at present
manufactures and markets 16 products and 15 line extensions in all
major markets of India barring the North East and Delhi. The company
employs 160 medical representatives, which will be increased to
210 by the year end.
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