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GE Healthcare has entered the domestic pharma sector with its biologics, biopharmaceutical targeted, single-use manufacturing platform called FlexFactory with Dr Reddy’s Laboratories as its first customer.
So far, the global major has installed the FlexFactory at 23 pharma companies worldwide. The Hyderabad-based Dr Reddy’s will be the first in Asia outside of China and Taiwan. It will be operational during fiscal 2018-19. With the demand for biopharmaceuticals going up strongly, the biologics-specific product will see robust growth, Milind Palsule, Country Manager, South Asia, GE Healthcare Life Sciences, told BusinessLine in a telephonic interaction.
Cartikeya Reddy, Head, Biologics, Dr Reddy’s, in a press release said the FlexFactory platform will enable the company to ramp up capacity and serve more patients in emerging and regulated markets.
The latest manufacturing platform enables the transition from stainless steel to single-use technologies that bring enhanced flexibility and efficiency into the manufacturing set up. Single-use technologies facilitate multi-product manufacturing and improve productivity by increasing the number of lots manufactured, as the change over time between products can be reduced by 50 per cent or more.
Giving details, Milind said the FlexFactory comprises single-use technologies and associated process hardware that is integrated with automation and control components for start to finish and documentation of biopharmaceuticals. There will be overall reduction in the capital costs, up to 75 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide emission and over 50 per cent saving in water usage in the manufacturing process. The company’s ‘Fast Track’ training units will provide training to the customers to maintain the facility initially. In the last couple of years, commercially licenced products made from these units in global pharma giants have been sold in the markets.
“GE Healthcare is in talks with several companies making biopharmaceuticals in the country. we are keen to support this development and the production capability of Indian pharma players with the latest technology," he added.
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