Ranbaxy denies FDA issues will lead to layoffs

Indian drugmaker Ranbaxy Laboratories is swatting down rumors that its recent regulatory issues will lead to layoffs. The denial comes as the Indian drugmaker is looking into moving some of its drug production to its plant in the U.S., the last approved to sell in that market. 

"Ranbaxy has no plans to reduce its workforce either in the next 3 or 12 months," a spokesman for the Indian drugmaker told Business Today. "We will continue to improve our productivity and performance and ensure optimal use of resources for sustainable, long-term growth."

According to The Economic Times, analysts in India were suggesting the company would look to produce more from its plant in New Jersey, but the company refused to comment. 

In September, the FDA said it had Ranbaxy's Mohali plant on import alert after inspections found significant cGMP violations. Inspectors found rampant problems during visits last year. Toilets lacked running water. A drug tablet appeared to have a human hair sticking out from it; others had oil spots on them. And plant managers were not getting to the root cause of the problems.

Two other of its Indian plants were barred from shipping to the U.S. for problems that last May it agreed to settle with the U.S. for $500 million. The Mohali plant was its last in India approved to make drugs for the U.S. The agency said the plant will now have to conform to provisions of a consent decree that Ranbaxy agreed to last year, which initially was written to cover its Paonta Sahib and Dewas facilities. Those two plants have been banned from exporting to the U.S. since 2008.

- here's the Business Today story
- more from The Economic Times