PHARMACEUTICALS

Intas Biopharmaceuticals Ltd, a leading biotechnology company near Ahmedabad, plans to set up a monoclonal antibodies unit at Matoda village in Gujarat.

A company spokesperson told Projectmonitor, "The unit would be set up on Celestial Biological Ltd campus at Matoda village in Sanand taluka. The facility will undertake a recombinant mammalian platform product with a capacity of 5,000 litres in phases. Bidding and tendering will begin soon and the process will take two months. Initial background work has begun and will take one month to complete."

Speaking about the project cost, he mentioned, "The project cost is between Rs 130 crore and Rs 160 crore, and the company has acquired 23,000 sq. metres of land in the village. The state government will facilitate the company to obtain necessary permissions, registrations and clearances. We have initiated necessary technical studies and commercial production at the proposed unit is likely to commence by 2011."

The company signed the MoU with the Gujarat government early this year, and is seeking government approval for utilising an alternative source of energy for fulfilling its power requirement for the project. As far as manufacturing activity is concerned, the company is indigenously making and marketing biotherapeutic drugs.

Contact: Intas Biopharmaceuticals Ltd, 423/P/A/GIDC, Sarkhej-Bavla Highway, Moraiya, Sanand Taluka, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 382210. Tel: 02717-660100/01; Fax: 02717-251189; E-mail: contract.services@intasbiopharma.co.in