May 12, 2004

Source : Express Pharma Pulse

Cipla, Avesthagen in pact for biopharmaceuticals development programme

Mumbai: City-based pharma major Cipla Ltd and Avestha Gengraine Technologies Pvt Ltd have embarked on a collaborative biopharmaceuticals development programme for new generation of targeted therapies. According to a release issued by Avesthagen, the partnership, which initially focuses on development of biopharmaceuticals in the area of autoimmune disorders is expected to widen, with a bouquet of products in the pipeline to cater to other segments, such as CVD and cancer. The partnership is opened and the release of the first biotherapeutic is expected in three years.

Under the agreement, Avesthagen will focus on the research and product development all the way through clinical trials while Cipla will concentrate on scale-up, marketing and distribution, added the release.

The Indian biopharmaceutical business, presently estimated at $200 million, is expected to grow to around $3.3 billion by 2007-08, dominated by recombinant proteins, vaccines and monoclonal antibodies. The Avestha-Cipla tie-up hopes to capitalise on this opportunity as a base to catapult it into markets abroad.

Avestha Gengraine Technologies is a leading, fully integrated biotechnology and bioinformatics company focusing on the convergence between food, pharma and clinical genomics leading to preventive personalised medicine. The company offers innovative solutions for global challenges in agriculture and health problems in the areas of degenerative conditions, metabolic disorders and infectious diseases.