Company Watch

Erica LifeSciences upgrading R&D centre

Usha Sharma - Mumbai

Erica LifeSciences is upgrading its existing research and development (R&D) centre at Kandivali, Mumbai. The company is investing Rs 3.5 crore and the R&D centre is expected to be ready by the end of September 2008.

As part of the upgradation work, the company is installing new machineries and techniques in the R&D centre. It is equipped with all chromatographic techniques and conventional, sound expertise on High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and stability chambers. Erica will have its kilo process lab facility situated here, which will conduct dry mixing, wet granulation, drying and milling.

According to Sumit Jain, Vice President-Corporate Affairs, "We are rapidly growing through the organic and inorganic route. Our company has a strong product pipeline for domestic as well for the international market. This expansion will help us to gain strength in the area of formulation development. We are scaling up our R&D process for improvement and trouble shooting. Our kilo process lab along with hi-tech quality control lab and analytical method development is equipped to handle product in all therapeutic segments."

The company has more than 100 registered products in various markets. Its key therapeutic area is anti malarial compounds and the company is marketing its anti-malarial and other products in semi regulated markets like Zambia, Kenya, Nigeria, Guinea, Malawi, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam and Philippines. Upto now company has developed 37 products and it is in the process of entering regulated markets with the introduction of 13 generic products.

Erica is in the process of setting up a 100 percent Export Oriented Unit (EOU) at Goa. The construction work at the facility has already begun and it is expected to be commissioned by early 2009. The company has designed its facility as per norms specified by authorised regulatory bodies and is expecting to get approvals from US FDA and UK MHRA and other international authorities for its manufacturing tablets and ointments. Recently, Dun and Bradstreet India (D&B India) and Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India (ECGC) have awarded Erica Pharma as a top exporter for 2006-07 in the small pharma exporter category.

About future expansion plans, Jain said, "To strengthen our supply chain in semi regulated markets, we are in the process of acquiring a manufacturing facility. And we are expecting that it will get finalised very soon."

usha.sharma@expressindia.com