Watch for the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) to migrate from China and India as Russia, Ukraine and the Baltics ramp up their pharma manufacturing capabilities. Market analyst PMR says the contaminated heparin case of 2007-2008, in which the lethal substance was traced to China, still has drugmakers seeking other sources of API.
PMR says it foresees not just API production in Russia, Ukraine and the Baltics, but also contract manufacturing of finished dose products, reports in-Pharma Technologist. Russia's $1.3 billion federal program for the development of the pharmaceutical industry will be a major driver through 2020. Under the program, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has promised to build 200,000 square meters of production facilities for sterile and non-sterile pharmaceutical production.
One weakness in the plan, however, is the omission of GMP standards, says PMR. To persuade companies to buy APIs in Russia instead of India or China, Russia will have to have a widespread implementation of GMP.
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