Rusan's fentanyl-delivering patch Fenstud--Courtesy of Rusan
Mumbai, India's Rusan Pharma just inaugurated a $15 million facility dedicated to researching and manufacturing drug-delivering transdermal patches in Gujarat's Kandla special economic zone, dubbed the Navin Saxena Research and Technology center.
The company makes the Fenstud fentanyl opioid pain patch, along with variety of other sublingual, oral and injectable meds.
Therapeutic areas to be targeted at the NSRT include pain, addiction, central nervous system conditions and orphan diseases. Drug delivery and platform technologies will also be studied, reports Indian news outlet, The Economic Times.
"Through this new facility, India can enter the innovation drive for the niche categories targeted by NSRT as a participation of $375 million global licensing market," Rusan Pharma chairman Navin Saxena said, according to The Economic Times.
In addition, the company announced an agreement to supply the Brazilian Health Ministry with its smoking cessation drug.
"With our efforts and innovation, we announce the biggest government and private Indian company deal between Brazil Health Ministry & Rusan Pharma for USD 20 million per annum. The company's '2baconil' drug will be used for the Brazilian government's program for smoking cessation," Saxena said in the article.
According to the company website, Rusan Pharma acquired a Novartis ($NVS) factory in the special economic zone in 2000, and opened a formulation facility there in 2002.
But European inspectors just reported "a widespread failure of the Quality Management System" at a Rusan facility in the Kandla special economic zone. In 2012, the U.K. banned at least 20 drugs manufactured at the plant. The sanction will continue.
- read the article