Started trial production of Atazanavir API at its Bavla facility.
Bulk drug maker Unimark Remedies has started trial production of Atazanavir, an anti-HIV drug, at its Bavla facility near Ahmedabad using the biocatalysis technology that reduces production costs by 25-30 per cent. It plans to supply the Atazanavir active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) to formulation makers like Cipla, Matrix Laboratories at competitive prices and is targeting to capture the entire 5-6 tonnes per annum (tpa) requirement in the country.
This also marks a change in the company's product pipeline. Unimark had earlier planned to produce Benezepril, an anti-hypertension drug, at Bavla in the first quarter of 2011-12. "We made some changes in our product pipeline based on market dynamics, and have started commercialisation of Atazanavir instead of Benezepril as was earlier planned. In case of Benezepril, some of our customers were facing USFDA complications and their demand was not likely to come in soon. Hence, we decided to re-prioritise," said Sandip J Parekh, executive director, Unimark Remedies.
Unimark had earlier planned to start commercial production of Benezepril in the first quarter of 2011-12, start manufacturing Atorvastatin, an anti-cholesterol drug, towards the end of 2011 and Atazanavir production was scheduled only from 2012. The global sales figures of these three products are estimated around $1285 million, $14985 million and $1200 million respectively.
However, Unimark has now changed its strategy and decided to focus on manufacturing an antibiotic. "Atorvastatin market has become very competitive. So, we decided to focus on products that look more promising, like for example a beta-lactam antiobiotic." While Parekh did not wish to give out the name, he, however, said that the company has already started work on commercialising production of the same at its Bavla unit. Beta-lactam antibiotics are amongst the most commonly prescribed drugs used for fighting infections.
As for the Atazanavir API, Unimark is in talks with the likes of Cipla and Matrix Laboratories to enter into supply agreements. "The domestic demand for Atazanavir is around 5-6 tpa, while the international demand is pegged at 25-30 tpa. We can cater to the entire domestic demand, and thanks to the biocatalysis technology we can offer the API at competitive prices.", Parekh said. The API is priced at around Rs 54,000 per kilogram in India.
The biocatalysis route, a greener, cleaner, and more economic way to manufacturing chiral drugs. Chiral drugs comprise nearly 60-70 per cent of the global pharmaceutical industry.
