 "Government to set up R&D centre for bulk drugs at NIPER")
The Union government is setting up a National Centre for Research & Development in Bulk Drug (NCRDBD) at National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, to fill the crucial existing gap in R&D in bulk drugs. The project, the approval for which has already been granted, will cost over Rs 52 crore and require an operating cost of over Rs 37 crore for five years.
The performance of bulk drug sector is one of the critical factors that affect the overall efficiency and cost competitiveness of the pharmaceutical sector. There are nearly 2,500 bulk drugs manufacturing units in India. The estimated turnover of the bulk drug industry in 2012-13 was around $ 12.5 billion. The industry has shown a cumulative annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17% in the last three years and has a share of about 10% of the global bulk drugs market of about $ 110 billion. However, the import of bulk drugs has seen a CAGR of 18% during last three years indicating an increasing level of dependence on international supply for this critical input of pharmaceutical sector.
This is further compounded by the fact that more than 60% share in imports of intermediate for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) is from China. “The centre is to be set up to urgently address these concerns and make the industry cost competitive. In bulk drug industry, the reduced processes and improved technology can help in reducing the cost significantly,” said a Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers press release.
The NCRDBD would be an innovative R&D provider in the field of bulk drugs and offer competitive and eco-friendly technologies in specified areas products and processes. “This centre will also provide centralised research facilities and technologies, analytical facilities and consulting services for process improvement and optimisation. It would give special emphasis to the empowerment of MSME sector. The pharmaceutical industry specially the SME sector requires such centre since the individual units cannot afford to have their captive R&D facilities,” added the release.
The performance of bulk drug sector is one of the critical factors that affect the overall efficiency and cost competitiveness of the pharmaceutical sector. There are nearly 2,500 bulk drugs manufacturing units in India. The estimated turnover of the bulk drug industry in 2012-13 was around $ 12.5 billion. The industry has shown a cumulative annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17% in the last three years and has a share of about 10% of the global bulk drugs market of about $ 110 billion. However, the import of bulk drugs has seen a CAGR of 18% during last three years indicating an increasing level of dependence on international supply for this critical input of pharmaceutical sector.
This is further compounded by the fact that more than 60% share in imports of intermediate for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) is from China. “The centre is to be set up to urgently address these concerns and make the industry cost competitive. In bulk drug industry, the reduced processes and improved technology can help in reducing the cost significantly,” said a Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers press release.
The NCRDBD would be an innovative R&D provider in the field of bulk drugs and offer competitive and eco-friendly technologies in specified areas products and processes. “This centre will also provide centralised research facilities and technologies, analytical facilities and consulting services for process improvement and optimisation. It would give special emphasis to the empowerment of MSME sector. The pharmaceutical industry specially the SME sector requires such centre since the individual units cannot afford to have their captive R&D facilities,” added the release.