Active pharmaceutical ingredients focus helps drug firms offset slowdown

Besides captive consumption, the company also supplies APIs to external customers across international markets

Major drug firms in India have posted robust growth in their active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) business in 2018-19, as supply disruptions in the international market helped them gain share. 

Analysts say that with the prices of API or bulk drugs going up, the segment’s revenues have seen a rise. 

Growth in the API business has also partly offset slowdown in the domestic business. 

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, for example, has posted a 24 per cent year-on-year (YoY) jump in its API business in 2018-19 to Rs 1,730 crore, against 8.5 per cent dip in revenues from the domestic formulations business. The firm said the