• Pharma firms to meet in Noida
• Ranbaxy, Zenotech may form marketing alliance
• GSK India pulls out unprofitable drug
• Hill states woo pharma firms
• Pharmaceutical giant Ranbaxy to invest Rs 365 Cr. in Punjab
• US drug standard setter to rely on Indian samples
• Wockhardt to help drug cos break into US market
• 500 drug makers moving to India's northern states

The Indian Pharmaceutical Industry with over 20,000 registered pharmaceutical manufacturers today is in the front rank of India’s science-based industries with wide ranging capabilities in the complex field of drug manufacture and technology.
Globally, the Indian Pharmaceutical Industry ranks 4th in volume terms and 13th in value. India is the 5th largest manufacturer of bulk drugs.
In terms of technology, quality and range of medicines manufactured, India ranks very high in the world. From simple headache pills to sophisticated antibiotics and complex cardiac compounds, almost every type of drug is now manufactured and marketed, in India.

Important trends in the industry:

• Only 28 drugs remain under price control, a big reduction from the 74 drugs earlier

• Introduction of Product Patents in 2005 for new discoveries

• 95% of the drugs available in India and on WHO List of Essential Drugs will continue to be available at current prices, as the foreign patents have expired

• The industry is well established and over 250 manufacturing units are recognized and certified by international agencies

• Indian Pharmaceutical majors have stepped into M&A-activities overseas

• The industry experiences market growth of 15% annually

PHARMA INDIA 2005 invites Indian and International turnkey pharma plant construction companies, manufacturers and suppliers of equipment and machinery to be used for the production of pharmaceuticals – from raw material treatment to packaging - to participate in the second trade fair of its kind.

Facts & figures:

• BIOTECHNOLOGY can provide the next wave of technological change that can be as radical and even more pervasive than that brought about by IT.

• For a country like India, biotechnology is a powerful enabling technology that can revolutionise agriculture, healthcare, industrial processing and environmental sustainability.

• Biotechnology as a business segment, has the potential of generating revenues . to the extent of US$ 5 billion.

• This sector alone can create one million jobs by 2010, through products  and Services.

• Biopharmaceuticals alone has the potential to be a US$ 2 billion market opportunity, largely driven by vaccines and bio-generics.

• India has many comparative advantages, like its strong pool of scientists and engineers, vast institutional network and cost-effective manufacturing.

• India boasts of over a hundred National Research laboratories and more than 400 college level educational and training institutes across the country.

• The new national biotech policy is being currently finalized and would give a concrete direction to the industry.

• The Indian pharma industry has increased its R & D spend by about 500%, in the last four years. However, the total national spending on R&D is still below US$ 300 million. In addition to Reddy Laboratories and Ranbaxy, who were established leaders, even companies like Nicholas Piramal and Sun Pharma have established world class R&D facilities.

• The Government of India has created a dedicated fund of Rs 150 crores called the Drug Development Promotion Fund, for R&D.

• India has been continuously evolving its IP laws. The first Indian Patents and Designs Act was enacted in 1911. Several amendments to the Copyright Act, creation of a new Trademark Act, a new Designs Act and amendments to the Patent Act, shows India’s desire to change.

• Some Indian companies are confident that they can cover the journey of
  molecule to market in about US$ 50 million to 100 million. This is truly remarkable given the fact that today international companies are spending between US$ 1 to 1.5 billion, for this.

• A unique initiative has been taken by CSIR for private public partnership, in R&D for the pharma industry. It is called the “New Millenium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative”( NMITLI). It involves 65 private sector companies and 160 institutions and universities. It has already achieved brilliant success, in drug research.