Nicholas to invest $50 m in formulations biz

With a view to becoming a top player in custom development and manufacturing, Nicholas Piramal India (NPIL) has announced a new programme to integrate its manufacturing capabilities and plans $50 million (Rs 220 crore) investment in new formulation facilities till 2009.

NPIL invested $50 million in the past three years during the early phase (development) and late phase (manufacturing) of formulation services, in the UK and India. The new investment will include setting up of a sterile supplies pilot plant due on stream in Mumbai in the fourth-quarter 2007, the company revealed.

"NPIL Pharma is uniquely positioned to offer integrated formulation services at all phases of drug development - from preclinical formulations to launch of commercial formulation - and with the additional assets and experience for global launch and commercial supply in the final dosage form," said Michael Fernandes, executive director, NPIL Pharma's Custom Manufacturing business.

By integrating its capabilities and assets in the UK and India, NPIL Pharma's formulations package now includes API pre-formulation services, formulation development for clinical trial manufacturing and scale-up to commercial manufacture in finished dosage forms, which including injectables, solutions, capsules and tablets.

The focus on formulation services and final dosage forms follows capabilities added in the last June's acquisition from Pfizer of the fully integrated Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) production and formulation facility at Morpeth, UK.