Eskayef signs insulin deal with Novo Nordisk

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Eskayef signs insulin deal with Novo Nordisk

Kawsar Khan

The world’s biggest insulin maker Novo Nordisk yesterday signed a major deal with Eskayef to extend its manufacturing base to Bangladesh as the third destination in Asia after China and India.

Eskayef Bangladesh Ltd, a leading pharmaceutical company and exporter, will set up an exclusive formulation, filling, inspection and packaging facility near Dhaka for the Novo Nordisk insulin.

The local company will make insulin from bulk drug (insulin crystals) supplied by Novo Nordisk, a world leader in diabetes care based in Denmark, said officials.

The agreement was signed by two top officials of both companies at a ceremony at Dhaka Sheraton Hotel, also attended by other dignitaries.

Speaking at the function, Dr Alauddin Ahmed, adviser (education, social development and political affairs) to the prime minister, said the deal was a landmark event for the pharmaceuticals sector.

“It’s a very fortunate thing that such a technologically advanced company would have a manufacturing base here,” he said.

Jan Møller Hansen, deputy head of mission, Danish Embassy in Bangladesh, said: “I hope Novo through its vast experience of more than 85 years of providing high-quality insulin will continue to be an important factor in fighting diabetes in Bangladesh.”

A symposium titled “Diabetes: A Growing Challenge for the Developing Countries” was also held at the ceremony.

Chairman of Eskayef Bangladesh Latifur Rahman said insulin is a sensitive product that requires careful handling.

Rahman also said he was happy over the partnership with the global leader in diabetes care.

The current size of Bangladesh’s insulin market is more than Tk 120 crore, according to officials of Novo Nordisk.

In a keynote speech, Prof Ashok Kumar Das, director and medical superintendent of Jawaharlal Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research in India, said diseases such as diabetes are increasing rapidly. Around the world, one person dies from diabetes every 10 seconds while another two develop the disease by the same time, he said.

AM Faruque, managing director of Eskayef Bangladesh, and Melvin Oscar D’souza, head of the Regional Office India of Novo Nordisk, signed yesterday’s agreement.

“We are going to set up a plant in Bangladesh by SKF and by this we will reduce diabetes here,” said Sanjeev Shishoo, vice president of the Regional Office Far East of Novo Nordisk.

Prof AK Azad Khan, president of Bangladesh Endocrine Society and Diabetic Association of Bangladesh, Dr Hajera Mahtab, professor emeritus of Bangladesh Institute of Health Sciences, also spoke.

Novo Nordisk employs more than 25,800 people in 79 countries and markets its products in 179 countries.

Eskayef makes and markets a range of therapeutic drugs, bulk pellets and animal health and nutrition products. It has recently received accreditation from UK MHRA, which assures European-standard medicines from its manufacturing plant.

kawsar@thedailystar.net

Renata Ltd takes on child nutrition

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Renata Ltd takes on child nutrition
Sayeda Akter

Renata Ltd is set to make sprinkles, a common child nutritional product that is used to reduce iron, vitamin and mineral deficiency.

The product is expected to address paediatric anaemia and malnutrition, which causes severe physical and mental damage to children.

“Vitamin and mineral deficiencies are the leading cause that arrests the growth of children aged between six and 24 months. This is the most important stage, as a child’s physical and mental developments take place,” said Syed S Kaiser Kabir, chief executive officer and managing director of Renata.

“We are encouraging mothers to breastfeed their babies, as that is the major source of vitamins, iron and minerals. If someone fails, they should add sprinkles to their children’s diet, as it will fulfil the nutritional need of those babies,” he added.

He said Renata started manufacturing sprinkles under the brand name of Magix at its own factory in Mirpur, a rare feat, as there are only five to six such units all over the world.

Prior to that, the company received a grant of $2 million from the Geneva-headquartered Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), an alliance driven by the vision of a world without malnutrition, early this year for promoting the product to the poor.

Renata started manufacturing nutritional supplements — Magix — this year and is expected to launch it in the local market by the first quarter of 2010.

Initially, Brac will distribute the product through its grassroots network, which will help prevent vitamin deficiencies and give nutrition back into the hands of primary caregivers.

The company fixed the price of each sachet at Tk 2.50, and one has to take 60 intakes of the one-a-day Magix to fulfill the need.

Local poultry vaccine in a year: BAPI

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Local poultry vaccine in a year: BAPI
UNB, DHAKA

The country is going to produce much-needed poultry vaccine locally within a year, Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industries (BAPI) announced the breakthrough in the animal health sector.

In a further significant advancement, Bangladesh’s rising pharmaceutical industry will take two more years to manufacture human vaccine.

Secretary-General of the association Abdul Muktadir came up with the announcement of the advances in the two fields at a dissemination seminar yesterday.

“Within one year we’ll be able to produce poultry vaccine and two more years will be needed to produce human vaccine on the local market,” Muktadir said.

Directorate of Drug Administration (DDA) organised the seminar titled ‘Fast Track Licensing for WHO Pre-qualified Vaccines Used in EPI’ at the Sheraton Hotel in conjunction with the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Health Minister Prof Dr AFM Ruhal Haque, WHO Bangladesh representative Dr Duangradee Sungkhobol and Bangladesh Pharmaceutical Society President Prof ABM Faroque, among others, spoke on the function chaired by director, DDA, Brig Gen Dr Ismail Hossain. DDA assistant director AA Salim Barami presented the keynote paper.

Muktadir said the country has to import both human and poultry vaccines to meet a huge local demand.

Speaking as chief guest, Health Minister Prof Dr AFM Ruhal Haque said the government has taken all necessary steps to enhance its drug-testing lab capacity to promote the local pharmaceuticals.

About fast-track registration, Salim Barami said this procedure is applicable to all imported pre-qualified vaccines that are used in national immunisation programme and supplied trough a UN agency or procured directly by the government.

“The vaccines currently used in EPI and the vaccines which will be used in future in EPI (procured from WHO pre-qualified list) will be eligible for fast-track registration,” he told the meet.

Faroque urged the DDA to ensure maintaining cold chain of any vaccine to ensure their efficacy.

“The success of any immunisation programme depends on administering effective vaccines. It is important to ensure vaccines are stored in optimal conditions to maintain their effectiveness,” he said.

Faroque, also teacher of pharmaceutical technology, said a cold chain is a temperature-controlled supply chain. An unbroken cold chain is an uninterrupted series of storage and distribution activities, which maintain a given temperature range.

Square Pharma’s export rises 59 per cent

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Square Pharma’s export rises 59 per cent

FE Report

The country’s largest drug manufacturer Square Pharmaceuticals Ltd. has registered a whopping 58.28 per cent rise in its export in the year ended March 31,2009.

“Our exports amounted to Tk 336.34 million during the year as against Tk 212.50 million in the corresponding period of 2008,” according to the company’s latest annual report.

Of the total export value, Tk 331.84 million came from pharmaceutical products while Tk 4.49 million was fetched by agrovet products

The report said the exports are expected to rise in the coming years.

The company’s present export market covers Myanmar, Nepal, Kenya, Libya, Mauritius, Papua New Guinea, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Yemen, Ukraine, Bhutan, Cambodia, Mozambique, Afganistan, Tanzania, Costa Rica, North Korea, Belize, Hong Kong, Mouritania and Philippines.

“As the company has secured licence under UK MHRA, it is expected that the export potential will increase substantially in the near future,” the report added.

At the same time, the conglomerate’s gross turnover, net turnover, gross profit and net profit after tax showed 18.51 per cent, 18.93 per cent, 21.94 per cent and 36.78 per cent rises respectively against the previous year.

The company’s gross turnover, net turnover, gross profit and net profit after tax rose to Tk 11.33 billion, Tk 9.82 billion, Tk 4.14 billion and Tk 1.89 billion respectively.

The company’s number of shareholders grew 49.13 per cent in 2008-09 against 2007-08.

There were 47,258 shareholders in the year ended March 31,2009.

The company in its last annual general meeting on September 7 last approved cash dividend at 40 per cent and stock dividend at 25 per cent for the shareholders.

During the year 2008-2009, Square Pharma has contributed Tk 2.31 billion to the national exchequer as against Tk. 1.87 billion during the previous year. “The contribution constitutes 23.62 percent of the sales revenue in as against 22.67 percent in the previous year,” the report said.

Established in 1958 and converted into a public limited company in 1991, Square Pharmaceuticals Ltd. has turned itself into a leading figure in the pharmaceutical industry of Bangladesh over the last few decades and now aims to grow into a high performance global player.

The company went public in 1994 and got listed in 1995 on Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE).

With a paid-up capital of Tk 1.20 billion, Square Pharma has four each subsidiary and associate companies.

The subsidiary companies are Square Spinnings Ltd, Square Cephalosporins Ltd, Square Biotechs Ltd and Square Multi Fabrics Ltd. On the other hand, the associate companies are Square Textiles Ltd, Square Knit Fabrics Ltd, Square Fashions Ltd and Square Hospitals Ltd.

Pharma sales upbeat

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Pharma sales upbeat
Sayeda Akter

Local pharmaceutical sales have grown to 21 percent in the April-June period, a rise from 19 percent in the first three months of this year, according to a report of a global pharmaceutical market intelligence agency.

Intercontinental Marketing Services (IMS) published the quarterly report in August.

Developed manufacturing process, newer investments in the sector and improved marketing strategy boosted the sales growth, said industry insiders.

Opsonin Pharma Ltd performed the best with a 51 percent growth, followed by Eskayef Bangladesh Ltd with 42 percent and Drug International Ltd with 39 percent in the period, the IMS report said.

Among the top ten performers ranked by IMS, others are Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Incepta Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Reneta Ltd, Advanced Chemical Industries (ACI) Ltd, Square Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Aristopharma Ltd and ACME Laboratories Ltd.

IMS report indicates the local retail sales of pharmaceutical products of different countries for a particular period, excluding the government purchase and exports.

AM Faruque, managing director of Eskayef Bangladesh, said enhanced quality of their products helped increase prescription coverage during this period.

“The first and foremost concern of a consumer is the quality of a product. So when a drug company produces high quality products, doctors confidently prescribe the medicines of that company, eventually helping increase its sales,” he said.

“People usually visit the doctors more when they are financially better off. This year the bumper production of Boro crop helped more people go to doctors. It’s also an important reason for sales growth,” Faruque added.

“We are constantly trying to improve the quality of our products,” he said, adding that the marketing strategy of the company also added to the growing sales in both the local and international markets.

Syed Golam Rahman, general manager of Opsonin Pharma, also echoed Faruque’s view, saying the increased prescription coverage and improved marketing strategy have fueled their growth in sales.

“Simultaneously, we have launched some new products in the local market that also helped us gain more revenue,” he said.

Opsonin recorded a 38 percent growth in the January-June period of this year, the highest among the local companies, said Rahman.

Square Pharmaceuticals, the local leader with around 20 percent of the total market share, has recorded an 18 percent growth in the April-June period.

Ahmed Kamrul Alam, assistant general manager of Square Pharmaceuticals, said quality products and growing health awareness among people are the main reasons behind the growth in sales.

Square launched some essential pharmaceutical products, including anti-fungal and anti-depression medicines in the April-June period, which also helped the company post more sales in local market, said Alam.

Currently, the market size of the local pharmaceutical industry is worth Tk 7,000 crore, said industry insiders.

There are 250 small, medium and large local and multinational pharmaceutical companies operating in Bangladesh. Of the companies, the top 10 — Square, Beximco, Eskayef, Incepta, ACME, Opsonin, Renata, ACI, Aristopharma and Drug International — take up nearly 70 percent of the total market, according to an IMS survey conducted in 2008.

sayeda@thedailystar.net

Local companies capable of producing enough drugs for swine flu outbreak

http://www.newagebd.com/2009/sep/05/busi.html#1

Local companies capable of producing enough drugs
Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan

The country’s pharmaceutical companies, which manufacture anti-viral drug to treat swine flu, claim that they are capable of producing enough medicines to treat affected people.

The manufacturers also assure that the supply of raw materials of the anti-viral drug, Oseltamivir, is also adequate. The raw materials are procured from European and Indian sources.

Currently, Beximco Pharma, Square Pharmaceuticals, Popular Pharmaceuticals and Eskayef Bangladesh Limited are manufacturing the all-important medicine while Roche Bangladesh Ltd is importing the medicine to the country.

Beximco is manufacturing Oseltamivir with the brand name of Ose flu, Square as Avislu, Eskayef as SK Flu and Popular Pharmaceuticals Ltd as Oselta. Roche is producing the drug with the brand name Tamiflu.

Essential Drugs Company Limited, the state-owned drug manufacturer that only supply medicines to government hospitals, said if the government wants it could supply enough anti-viral drug in 15-20 days.

‘If we get order from the government, we will ensure supply of the medicine within 15-20 days,’ Col Mehboobul Haque, the managing director and chief executive of the company, told new age.

An infected person needs a course of 10 capsules, senior scientific officer of the IEDCR ASM Alamgir said adding that many affected do not need the medicine.

Although different companies manufacture the drug, they are not yet allowed to sell the drug at the open market as the government order prohibits such selling, the manufacturers said.

But, manager of a city’s reputed pharmacy told New Age that he sold 30 anti-viral capsules manufactured by Popular Pharmaceuticals.

‘The drugs were prescribed by the doctors. 10 capsules cost Tk 1,800,’ he added.

‘There is sufficient stock. Our production capacity is very good. There is no cause for concern. Whatever the quantity is required in next four months, we are capable of supplying,’ Pinaki Bhattacharjee, the chief executive officer of Popular Pharmaceuticals Ltd, told New Age.

‘There is no problem of the supply of raw materials,’ he added.

Asked if Tk 1,800 for 10 capsules is reasonable, Pinaki said the price of medicine supplied by Roche is higher than those produced by the Bangladeshi manufacturers.

A senior official of Beximco requesting anonymity said there is enough supply of the raw materials and there is no problem in producing the anti-viral drug.

Replying to a question, he said that as per the government’s order Beximco is not making the medicine for open market.

Binoy Das, marketing manager of Eskayef Bangladesh Limited, also assured that people should not worry about the anti-viral drug, as his company is able to produce as much as required.

‘There is no reason to worry. We are capable of producing as much as needed. We also have enough in our stock,’ he said.

Binoy said that the medicine is not made available on the open market as the government wants to keep a database and wants to keep the matter under its control.

He, however, said that we are supplying the medicine upon orders from the hospitals.

About the price, Binoy said that the price of the drug has been fixed based on the price of raw materials. ‘Though the cost of 10 capsules is Tk 1,800, we supply the medicine to the government at discounted price. Furthermore, we have donated the government good quantity of medicine.’

‘Our production capability is very good. Availability of the drug should not be a problem,’ said senior marketing official of Square Pharmaceuticals.

Bangladesh’s growing pharmaceutical sector

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Bangladesh’s growing pharmaceutical sector

Ferdous Alam

The export value of pharmaceuticals is growing at a reasonable rate every year. Exports increased from $8.2 million in 2004 to $28.3 million in 2007 and posted further gains last year. Export destinations are also increasing in number.

Beginning in the 1950s, when a few multinationals and local entrepreneurs set up manufacturing facilities in the then East Pakistan, now over 200 companies produce now medicines in Bangladesh.

The pharmaceutical industry in Bangladesh has otherwise the potential to grow and enjoy a number of competitive advantages. Quality assurance has put the industry on a solid base. Almost all companies follow the World Health Organisation (WHO) Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards.

Bangladesh’s strict quality compliance gives pharmaceuticals an advantage to compete with producers in India, China, Brazil and Turkey in the overseas export markets. The capability of the industry has helped it achieve excellence as per the general international standards.

A good number of local pharmaceutical companies have won accreditation from the overseas regulatory authorities including some of those in the developed countries. Two such local companies have been accredited by EMEA (Austria) and the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA-Australia). The accreditation facilitates their entry into the lucrative market as reputed players. Bangladesh’s national drug policy requires strict standards compliance from the pharmaceutical manufacturers.

The Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) is recognised worldwide for its holistic approach for the control and management of manufacturing and quality control testing of food and pharmaceutical products.

Bangladeshi pharmaceutical industries are expanding their exportable items. The country is now exporting a reasonably wide range of pharmaceutical products covering therapeutic classes and dosage forms like tablets, capsules and syrups.

Bangladesh also exports some high-tech specialised products like, HFA, inhalers, suppositories, hormones, steroids, oncology, immunosuppressant products, nasal sprays, injectibles and IV infusions. The sector stands on a sound footing due to the growing demand of medicines for the country’s 150 million people.

The industry, producing quality medicines at an affordable price for millions of people, has made Bangladesh almost self-reliant in pharmaceutical products. It meets the major part of local demand for medicines.

Mortality from major epidemics, malaria, dengue, cholera and typhoid, has also been reduced substantially over the years in Bangladesh. Increased affordability and availability of medicines have contributed to this achievement.

Bangladesh’s average life expectancy of about 63 years is otherwise at a high level in South Asia though its per capita consumption of medicines is at one of the lowest levels in the region. A good number of new factories that have come up in recent years, have aggressive sales and promotion strategies. A sizeable number of them have their own manufacturing facilities of which five are multinationals.

The sector is active in API (active pharmaceutical ingredients). Many companies now locally manufacture a good number of APIs. However, compared to large local demand, more API industries are needed to be set up. Pharmaceutical industries’ potential has multiplied with the recently approved API industrial park in Munshigonj.

The API can save at least 70 per cent of the cost of import of pharmaceutical raw materials from aboard. Skilled professionals at home and abroad are joining the industry’s human resources pool every year.

Currently, bio-equivalency tests are conducted in Singapore, Malaysia and in European countries, resulting in some hefty operational expenditures on the part of pharmaceutical industries. More investments in these sub-sectors would be needed in future. Foreign investors can take advantage of the flourishing industry.

It is estimated that over $250 million have been invested in this sector over the recent years for facility modernisation and setting up of new facilities.

All of these investments were for developing full GMP compliant facilities to meet the stringent regulatory requirement of any country of the world. The investment has already started paying off as most of the companies have either already received certification or are about to get the approval from more regulatory authorities at abroad. This has opened up wider opportunities for the Bangladeshi companies to claim a bigger share in the large global pharmaceutical market.

Medicine exports make big turnaround in last quarter

http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2009/08/06/75430.html

Medicine exports make big turnaround in last quarter

Md Fazlur Rahman

The country’s medicine export made a turnaround in the last quarter of the just concluded financial year as the manufacturers shook off the effects of the global recession to explore new markets across the globe.

Shipments of pharmaceutical products bearing made-in-Bangladesh tags grew 6.21 per cent to US$45.67 million in the fiscal year ended in June, overcoming a minus growth of around 16 per cent in the first nine months of the year.

Although the figure is eight million dollars short of the target, manufacturers said they came back strongly in the last quarter and posted higher growth at a time when the overall export recorded the slowest growth since the 2002-03 fiscal.

The Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) said last financial year’s shipment was the highest since the country started exporting medicines in mid-1990s. Last year the country shipped $43 million worth of drugs.

General secretary of the Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceuticals Industries (BAPI) Abdul Muktadir said the revival was due to surge in orders from western buyers.

“Initially the exports were lower due to falling demand from many importing countries who have been hard hit by the recession. But now the order is increasing day by day,” he told the FE.

“The buyers held back their orders due to plunge in consumer spending at home. But in the last few months we see many buyers are placing bigger orders. They are also impressed with the quality of our products,” he said.

Mr Muktadir, also the managing director of the country’s third largest drug maker Incepta Pharmaceuticals, said export would grow significantly in the next five-six months, as global economy shows signs of bottoming out from the worst recession in six decades.

A hefty revival of export fortunes also prompted some top manufacturers to spend heavily in new factories and up-gradation of the existing facilities.

The country’s largest drug maker Square Pharmaceuticals last week said it would invest nearly Tk6.00 billion in new production facilities to cater to increasing demand at home and abroad.

On Tuesday another leading manufacturer Acme Laboratories said it would build a Tk2.00 billion plant, which would comply British standards, to get a slice of the multi-billion dollars export market.

Others including Incepta, Renata, Drug International and Eskayef have already set up new and most-modern facilities in an effort to capture markets abroad.

Mr Muktadir said several other local pharmaceutical companies were planning to cash in on the increasing demands from importing nations, especially countries where Bangladesh faces fewer shipment restrictions.

“Many companies I know are investing or planning to invest to expand their business. They are bullish about export markets and the future of the industry,” he said.

He said exports would have been far higher had the government fixed basic infrastructure like power and gas.

“The investors are still weary as the energy crisis is hampering their daily production. The government should come up with an urgent solution to find a way forward on the energy issue,” he said.

Bangladesh exported products worth US$15.57 billion in 2008-09, up 10.31 percent than the previous financial year, according to data released by EPB.

Abdul Monem Ltd to enter into pharma sector

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Abdul Monem Ltd to enter into pharma sector

Jasim Uddin Haroon

Abdul Monem Limited (AML), the popular Igloo ice cream maker, will be entering into the pharmaceutical sector within the next couple of months with option to manufacture high-end products drugs.

AM Pharma has already installed machineries at its plant at Hemayetpur in Gazipur. The brand name of its products will be Novus.

“We expect to go into production within the next two months as we have already installed the equipment,” ASM Mainuddin Monem, managing director of AM Pharma told the FE Wednesday.

He said the main objective of entering into the drug market is to produce and market quality drugs at affordable prices.

AM Pharma will produce initially 24 generic products mostly related to common diseases including diabetes and heart disease.

He said it is initially investing around Tk 200 million saying “We will expand our plant in second and third phases investing further.”

“Yes, this is our initial investment. Our site has been designed to make room for further expansion in future,” he added.

Mr Main said he became interested in setting up the pharmaceutical plant seeing bright prospect of medicine production for both local and export markets.

“Apart from this, we think that we have a commitment to serve the country’s people with quality and affordable drugs”

There are 164, out of 232 registered pharmaceutical companies producing around 8000 types of drugs.

The companies produced medicines worth Tk around 50 billion in 2008. Bangladesh is currently exporting its generic drugs to some 67 countries.

AML has a number of concern including Coca Cola, construction, sugar refineries employing over 5000 local people. The group’s annual turnover is around Tk 10 billion.

Acme plans expansion with new Tk 215cr pharma unit

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Acme plans expansion with new Tk 215cr pharma unit

Sayeda Akter

On completion of around 60 percent work, the new Tk 215 crore manufacturing unit of Acme Labora-tories Ltd plans to go into production next year.

Located at Dhamrai, the Acme Specialised Pharma-ceuticals Limited will produce anti-cancer and anti-AIDS drugs for the local market, now almost fully dependent on imports of such drugs.

However it will make other drugs too.

Cancer resistant drugs are now manufactured by one or two companies when cancer patients are on the rise in Bangladesh, according to industry people. “This new unit will help enhance our supply capacity to both local and international market by more than 20 percent from the very first year of production,” said Mizanur Rahman Sinha, Acme’s managing director.

The new one of his pharmaceutical conglomerate, which has a track record of producing a wide range of medicines across the therapeutic spectrum for both human and animal health, also targets exports of its produces to rich nations including USA and UK, Sinha added.

Presently, Acme medicines are exported to 11 countries with around 55 percent of such growth a year.

“We are trying very hard to ensure meeting international compliance, while constructing the new unit. At the same time, we are strictly maintaining the regulations of the exporting countries,” said the boss of the local second largest medicine maker.

“We hopefully will go into production by June 2010. Its process of setting up started in 2008,” Sinha told The Daily Star.

Of the total fund for the new plant, Tk 130 crore will come from a syndicated loan, raised by Standard Chartered Bank as lead arranger. A term-loan deal was signed yesterday.

“We put emphasis on ensuring good health for all by manufacturing ethical drugs of the highest quality at affordable prices and reaching out those even to the remotest areas by proper distribution network,” said Mizanur Rahman Sinha.

Common people often fail to get access to anti-cancer drugs because of their unavailability in the local market, he pointed out.

In fiscal year 2008-09, Acme Laboratories recorded a Tk 400 crore sales in domestic market, while it posted Tk $1.2 million exports.

“ Experiencing a success in the domestic market, ACME started its first international operation by exporting medicines to Bhutan in 1995,” said Sinha, adding: “The volume of sales has increased significantly with an average growth rate of 50 percent every year.”

Among the medicines exported, antibiotic, anti-hypertensive, anti-ulcerant and vitamin are remarkable.

South-East Asia, Africa, Middle East and the EU are among the Acme’s export destinations. Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan, the Philippines, Hong Kong and Vietnam are the countries where it exports regularly.

Acme to set up specialised unit to export drugs to US, Europe

http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2009/08/04/75205.html

Acme to set up specialised unit to export drugs to US, Europe

FHM Humayan Kabir

The country’s leading drug manufacturer Acme Laboratories Ltd. would set up a specialised drug production unit with a target to export the products to the US and Europe, officials said Monday.

“We will construct a factory beside our existing unit particularly maintaining the international standard requirements of the United States and United Kingdom markets,” deputy managing director of the drug company Afzalur Rahman Sinha told the FE.

He said: “As we expecting to export to the US and UK market, we will maintain the standard of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and British Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in our proposed production unit.”

Mr Sinha said they would invest Tk20 billion to install the specialised pharmaceutical drugs production unit, besides the existing production unit at Dhamrai in Dhaka.

The Standard Chartered Bank would provide Tk1.30 billion loan under a syndicated term loan arrangement with different banks and financial institution to the Acme Laboratories, a human, herbal and animal health medicine manufacturer.

The existing drug manufacturing unit of the country’s leading conglomerate-Acme Group, is exporting pharmaceutical products to some Asian countries including Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Myanmar in addition to meeting the local demand.

Among the medicines exported– Antibiotic, Antihypertensive, Antiulcerant and vitamins are remarkable.

Mr. Sinha said: “We hope the construction works of our proposed plant would be complete by middle next year. We have set a target to go for production by June-July 2010.”

The Acme Laboratories Ltd, with last year’s turnover of nearly Tk4.0 billion, will be able to create some 1000 new jobs after setting up their specialised production unit.

“After staring production at our new plant, we hope our annual turnover will almost double to nearly Tk7.0 billion,” Mr Sinha said.

Bangladesh’s drug companies have been struggling to enter into different US, EU and African markets with their products for last few years.

Some leading domestic drug manufacturers including Square, Beximco and Eskayef have already got approval of the USFDA and UK’s MHRA for marketing in those countries.

The local medicine manufacturers exported drugs worth US$45.67 million in the financial year 2008-09, maintaining over 6.0 per cent growth over the corresponding year, Export Promotion Bureau said.

Square Pharma to build new unit

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Square Pharma to build new unit
Star Business Report

Square Pharmaceuticals, one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in Bangladesh, plans to set up its third new production unit, to meet local and export demand for medicine.

The new unit will be built in two phases in the next seven years to manufacture three types of products — solid doses form, large volume parenteral (LVP) and special products, such as anticancer drugs.

The cost of the project has been estimated at Tk 514 crore — Tk 360 crore for the first phase which targets the completion by December 2012, and Tk 154 crore for the second phase to be completed by June 2016 — according to the company’s disclosure, posted on the Dhaka Stock Exchange website yesterday.

Square Pharma, which is listed on both the Dhaka and Chittagong stock exchanges, expects to produce 5 billion tablets, 1.5 billion capsules, 60 million injections and 11 million pieces LVP in the first phase.

In the second phase, the company targets production of 4.5 billion pieces tablets, 1.2 billion capsules, 10 million injections and 9 million LVP.

The board of directors of Square Pharma has also decided to purchase capital machinery and building for an insulin project from Square Biotechs Ltd at a cost of Tk 81.23 crore, on a cost price basis.

The board has also approved Tk 50 crore for BMRE (balancing, modernisation, renovation and expansion) purpose and the purchase of land to extend existing projects and future expansion.

The company’s FY2007-08 annual report shows that its exports increased by 10 percent to Tk 21.24 crore against Tk 19.29 crore a year ago. The report also forecasted rising exports in coming years.

Presently, the company exports to more than 30 countries.

Square Pharma recorded net profits of Tk 189 crore with earnings per share of Tk 156.56 as of March 31 this year, compared to Tk 138.18 crore net profits and Tk 114.47 (restated) earnings per share in the same period last year.

The company declared 40 percent cash dividend and 25 percent stock dividend for the year ended March 31, 2009.

Herbal medicines get new lease of life

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Herbal medicines get new lease of life

Herbal medicines are increasingly popular in local and global markets. More than 20 firms seek licences to come into the sector.

Sohel Parvez

Herbal medicines are set to witness an investment boost as over 20 companies have lined up for licences from the drug administration to manufacture such medicines to exploit business potentials in the sector, still almost untapped, industry people said.

“A new avenue for herbal medicine has opened up as many investors are looking for venturing in making such medicines,” a senior official of Directorate of Drug Administration told The Daily Star.

Officials said the drug regulator has received nearly two dozens of applications seeking approval to make herbal medicine. Of the applicants, four got licences and around 20 companies are awaiting approval.

“So far we have cleared four applications. We are also in process of giving approval to some more companies,” the official added.

The latest approval was given to Radiant Nutraceuticals Ltd, which is set to join the foray with three existing operators — Square, ACME and Modern — with Square Herbal and Nutraceuticals being the pioneer in the segment.

“We have opted for herbal medicine making with an aim to tap the export potential. The global market for herbal medicine is huge and many people in the West are showing growing interests,” said MM Asad Ullah, in-charge of Square Herbal and Nutraceuticals Ltd, a concern of Square Group.

According to World Health Organisation (WHO), as many as 80 percent of world’s people rely on traditional medicines for their primary healthcare and remedies, and the use of traditional medicines is rising in the developed economies such as Europe and America.

Industry people said the global market for medicinal plant products is estimated to be more than $60 billion a year.

At present, China and India supply bulk of the plant drugs demand to the global market.

In Bangladesh, demand for herbal medicine is also on the rise.

Industry insiders said allopathic pharma market in Bangladesh is worth around Tk 4,000 crore, while the market size for herbal medicines including Ayurvedic and Unani stands at more than Tk 1,000 crore.

Industry people observed that scopes to exploit the untapped herbal medicine now lure investors to the segment with majority of applications coming from new investors along with allopathic drug makers.

Stakeholders said some of the well-known allopathic drug makers are gearing up for establishing herbal medicine units.

The sector started pulling attention after the government had endorsed herbal medicine in the drug policy along with two other traditional branches of medicine — Ayurvedic and Unani.

Later the sector received a further boost as the government termed herbs and herbal medicine as one of the five priority sectors to diversify the country’s export basket.

Industry people observed that Bangladesh has prospect in making footsteps on the global market for medicinal plant and products as nearly 650 medicinal plant species have been identified to be in use in Bangladesh with around 25 plants having high value.

Sector people said herbal medicine differs from Ayurvedic and Unani medicines due to its unique manufacturing process, although all the three branches of medicine depend mainly on medicinal plants.

“Our manufacturing process is different from Ayurvedic and Unani. We also use modern technology,” said Asad of Square Herbal, which has so far launched 8 medicinal products.

He also said businesses of Ayurvedic and Unani medicines would not be hurt by the growth of herbal medicines. “Rather a new market will be created,” he added.

To push the sector forward, the drug administrator has recently set a definition for herbal medicine and selected a set of reference books for manufacturers to follow while making herbal medicines.

The regulator has also finalised testing criteria to boost the sector and expedite the process of giving approval to the prospective licence seekers.

The licence awarding process was slow earlier in absence of a definition, testing criteria and reference, industry people said.

“Finalisation of these criteria will assist us to clear the applications faster to help grow the sector in a disciplined manner,” said the official of the Drug Administration.

sohel@thedailystar.net

Prospect of medicine export to CIS countries bright

http://www.theindependent-bd.com/details.php?nid=133306

Prospect of medicine export to CIS countries bright
ECONOMIC REPORTER

There is bright prospect of export of standard quality medicines produced in Bangladesh to CIS countries including Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Both the countries import 90 per cent of medicines from abroad. Besides, there is also immense potentialities to set up joint venture pharmaceutical industries between Bangladesh and the two CIS countries.

This was revealed following a visit to both the countries by as delegation of Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industries (BAPI) led by its adviser SM Shafiuzzaman from June 28 to July 6.

During the visit, the delegation observed that the government should expedite diplomatic activities with the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries, which achieved independence after breaking apart of the former Soviet Union.

The delegation also was of the view that pharmaceutical products of Bangladesh worth over Tk 100 crore could be exported to the CIS countries in future with proper diplomatic efforts, enhancement of competent manpower in Bangladesh’s embassies and in CIS countries where there was no representation of the country.

The objective of the visit of Bangladesh pharmaceutical delegation to the CIS countries was to explore and expand markets of medicines produced in the country abroad.

During its visit, the Bangladesh delegation held talks with Health Minister of Uzbekistan Prof A Ikramov and high officials of his ministry. It was apprised of the health minister that presently Bangladesh exports medicine of international standard to 72 countries.

At the talks, the Uzbek Health Minister showed keen interest to import medicine produced in Bangladesh within the shortest possible time and setting up of joint-venture medicine producing industries with Bangladesh.

In this regard, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed between Uzbek State-Joint-Stock Concern-Uzpharmsanoat and BAPI.

Later, the Bangladesh pharmaceutical delegation had talks with vice-chairman of the committee on health and medicine affairs of health ministry of Kazaksthan and other high officials.

The delegation apprised of the Kazakh officials in details about the pharmaceutical industry of Bangladesh. Besides, the delegation had separate rounds of fruitful talks with Pharmaceutical Importers Association and Manufacturers Association and large-scale importers of both the countries.

A number of Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) also were signed between different pharmaceutical companies of the country and established importing companies of both the countries.

Bangladesh Ambassador in Tashkent Hasib Aziz extended all sorts of cooperation to the Bangladesh delegation during the visit.

BAPI secretary general and managing director of Incepta Pharmaceuticals Ltd Abdul Muktadir, vice-president and managing director Medimet Pharmaceuticals Ltd Khondokar Tariq-ul-Islam, director of the drug administration directorate Md Ismail Hossain, director (planning and commercial) of Incepta Pharmaceuticals Ltd Ms Akhter Jahan Hasnin Muktadir, BAPI executive committee member and managing director of Edruc Ltd Feroz Uddin Khan, BAPI executive committee member and executive director of Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Ltd Md Halimuzzaman, BAPI member and director (marketing) of Biopharma Laboratories Ltd Dr Liaquat Ullah and business development manager Md Sami Akhter and director of the Export Promotion Bureau Omar Faruque were the other members of the Bangladesh pharmaceutical delegation, according to a press release of BAPI.

Eskayef enters UK medicine market

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=96105

Eskayef enters UK medicine market
Sayeda Akter

Eskayef Bangladesh Ltd, a leading pharmaceutical company in the country, has started exporting medicines to a UK firm from this month, the company’s managing director said.

“Initially, we have got an export order of Diuretics and Omeprazole worth around $3 million from the UK drug company and we have sent our first consignment to that country on Monday,” said AM Faruque, adding that his company would complete the export by September.

“We have got approval from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) of UK in August 2008, which allows us to export pharmaceutical products to the European market,” he said.

Faruque said this agency usually takes a long time, even years, to give such a go-ahead, but Eskayef has achieved it in only eight months because the company complies with the MHRA requirements, including quality assessment and hygiene maintenance.

“In addition, with this order we have been allowed to export non-sterile production of tablets, capsules and granules (commonly known as pellets), which would help us grow further, both locally and globally,” he went on.

He said his company eyes raising exports to $5 million in 2009 from $3 million a year ago.

The world-class healthcare solution provider grows at 30 percent a year. The Eskayef MD also believes that the market will grow nearly 15 percent in 2009.

Eskayef manufactures and markets a wide range of therapeutic drugs, bulk pellets and animal health and nutrition products. Its 2008 sales reached $60 million, while the figure was only half a million US dollars in 1990, the year Transcom Group took over the company.

“We have set a target to sell drugs worth Tk 400 crore this year,” the Eskayef top official said.

The countries where Eskayef bulk pellets and finished products are now exported include Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Nepal, Vietnam, Kenya and some Central American countries.

AM Faruque in this context also pointed to his company’s constant efforts to ensure quality medicines for consumers at affordable prices.

There are 250 small, medium and large local and multinational pharmaceutical companies in operation in Bangladesh. Many started their business after 2000 sensing the growth potential in the local market.

Of the 250, top 10 companies, such as Square, Beximco, Eskayef, Incepta, Acme, ACI, Opsonin, Renata, Aristopharma and Drug International take up nearly 70 percent of the total market share, according to the Information on Medical Statistics (IMS) 2008 survey.

sayeda@thedailystar.net