Aurobindo Pharma has commissioned four manufacturing facilities, including one for Penicillin G, in Andhra Pradesh, through wholly owned subsidiaries.
The 15,000-tonne Penicillin G plant, with an estimated investment of about ₹2,400 crore, has been established by Lyfius Pharma in Kakinada SEZ area. The subsidiary has also set up a 1.80 lakh tonne Glucose plant at the same location.
Aurobindo’s filing on Sunday comes weeks after Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers Mansukh Mandaviya announced that Penicillin G will be made in India. “Since last 30 years, Penicillin G was not being produced in India. Now under Atmanirbhar Bharat, we will produce it in the country itself,” he had said at the virtual inauguration of 27 greenfield bulk drug park projects and 13 greenfield manufacturing plants for medical devices.
Highlighting the Union Government’s efforts towards making India atmanirbhar in the field of critical medicines and active pharmaceutical ingredients (API), the Minister had cited the example of Penicillin G – a widely used antibiotic drug used to treat infections – that was locally manufactured in India until late 1980s. Due to globalisation, the import of Penicillin G led to the closure of all such plants in India.
Other manufacturing facilities commissioned by Aurobindo subsidiaries are 3,600-tonne 6-Amino Penicillanic Acid (6-APA) in Kakinada SEZ area by Qule Pharma; 285 million vials/ampoules plant of Eugia Steriles in Anakapalli district; and 13,200 tonne granulated products (ready to compress) unit of Auroactive Pharma in Srikakulam district, the drugmaker said in the filing.
On the addressable market for the products, Aurobindo Pharma said Penicillin G, Glucose, 6-APA and granulated products will be for captive use, domestic supply and exports, while vials/ampoules plant will be for export markets.
Commercial production has commenced and based on the purchase orders received, the respective companies have begun sale to their customers. The business revenues and profitability of the respective entities are expected to grow over a period of time, Aurobindo Pharma said.
Capitalising on the PLI schemes was one of its priorities and these projects help reduce import dependence and create resilient supply chain, the company had said in a presentation recently.
