The Hindu Business Line : Sai Advantium to invest $20 m in upgrading, adding facilities

Sai Advantium Pharma Ltd (SAPL), the Hyderabad-based $10-million contract research and manufacturing (CRAM) and drug discovery and development services company, has announced investment plans of $15-20-million towards upgrading its existing facilities and adding new facilities and services.

The company is currently scouting for strategic partners, who could support the capital expenditure programme. According to the SAPL Chairman and Managing Director, Dr K. Ranga Raju, the company expects to firm up the strategic partnership during the first quarter of next year.

Addressing newspersons here on Wednesday, he said, "The strategic partner need not extend only financial support. It could add value to our CRAM and drug discovery and development services. We are currently evaluating various options."

As a part of the expansion, the company is setting up additional lab space of 53,000 square feet at ICICI Knowledge Park here for chemistry process research and development. Further, the company has also entered into a lease agreement with the International Biotech Park of Pune to acquire around 24,000 sq ft to expand its research facilities in Pune.

At present, SAPL has five facilities — three in Hyderabad, one in Bidar, Karnataka and one in Pune. According to Dr Raju, these facilities house modern and well-equipped labs and pilot manufacturing facilities to support the outsourcing needs of global pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry. The company evolved out of merger of Hyderabad-based Sai Life Sciences into CRAM services and Pune based Advantium Pharma Pvt Ltd into drug discovery and development services.

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