Alembic plans to set up facility in Sikkim

To invest Rs 40 crore in the proposed formulations unit.

After Zydus Cadila and Torrent Pharma, Ahmedabad-based Alembic Ltd, a contract research and manufacturing services (CRAMS) company, is planning to set up a formulations unit in the tax holiday zone of Sikkim.

Confirming the development, Alembic chairman and managing director Chirayu Amin said work on the project was on and would cost Rs 40 crore.

Meanwhile, the 100-year-old company is also planning to set up a pharma special economic zone (SEZ) on 200 acres near Vadodara. However, Amin refused to divulge any details. The company will set up a bulk and formulations unit in the SEZ, sources close to the development said.

The proposed SEZ would be at Kavi and Nahar village on the Mahisagar Tidal sanctuary. This will be a single sector SEZ focusing on meeting the requirements of the pharmaceutical industry. Alembic has also forayed into the lifestyle disease segment through the acquisition of Dabar's non-oncology division.

So far, Alembic has filed 21 DMFs (Drug Master Files) and 11 ANDAs (abbreviated new drug applications). The company aims to increase its presence in overseas markets like Brazil, Russia, Australia and South Africa.

The company is ranked 16th in India according to the January 2008 ORG-Marg data.