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The State-owned Kerala State Drugs & Pharmaceuticals (KSDP) has approached Covid vaccine manufacturers for getting vaccines in concentrated form in order to fill it in vials.
The company's new non beta-lactam injection plant facility in Alappuzha can be utilised for filling Covid vaccines in vials by making some modifications in the machinery. “We have already contacted Bharat Biotech and the other vaccine manufacturing company in this regard,” highly placed sources told BusinessLine.
The production of Covid vaccine from KSDP’s manufacturing facility could help address the shortage currently being faced in the State and distribute it evenly to other parts in South India without any hindrances. However, the sources went on to add that it all depends on the availability of concentrated active pharma ingredients (API) from vaccine manufacturers.
It is reported that the pandemic situation has improved KSDP’s order book position, as it received Covid special orders from Kerala Medical Services Corporation for products such as Azithromycin Tab IP 500mg, Cetrizine, Paracetamol Tab 500mg, Amoxycillin Capsule, Cloxacillin Capsule, Chlorpheniramine maleate etc with an order value of ₹11.08 crore.
The pharmaceutical company has also identified specific area of growth in the pandemic times, which include manufacturing hygiene products and hospital consumables, Covid-19 test-kits etc.
However, the company has faced some logistical issues in the sourcing of raw materials from different locations due to restrictions in Covid times. The “exponential” growth in raw material prices and the non-availability of imported raw materials has also posed some obstacles in meeting the production requirements, the sources said.
In the 2020-21, KSDP has garnered a profit of ₹15.48 crore on a turnover of ₹139.77 crore in 2020-21 fiscal.
The new non beta-lactam injection plant which was inaugurated in February is expected to commence production within six months. The budget announcement for dedicated Oncology Park is likely to be ready in two years. All these new projects are expected to increase the turnover to ₹ 250 crore.
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