Table of Contents
The Big Question
The Observation
The Observation
- Even now, India imports as much as 66 per cent of its APIs from China.
- While China is the biggest supplier of APIs to India, the latter also imports the ingredients from several other nations like Germany, the US, Italy and Singapore.
- Over the years, there has been a gradual reduction in the value of imports from China.
The News
- The Department of Pharmaceuticals has drawn up a list of 56 APIs to prioritise them for the Make-in-India initiative.
- These include APIs or bulk drugs that go into the making of essential drugs, such as antibiotics, anti-HIV medicines, and paracetamol.
The Development
- In light of decision by Department of Pharmaceuticals, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has started working with the coal and petroleum industries to generate chemicals that form the main therapeutic components in various medicines, in a bid to permanently address India’s dependence on China for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).
Whaaat…Coal & Petroleum industries?
- Currently, the focus is on APIs that can be generated through fermentation processes rather than chemical processes in a laboratory. Hence, the spotlight is on the petroleum and coal industries.
- Both Coal & Petroleum industries deal with carbon compounds that form the basis of organic chemistry and drug-making. The current idea is to do end-to-end production of 56 APIs but, for now, the priority is on fermentation products.
- In the first phase, the focus is on about 30 ingredients.
What’s the target?
- CSIR will be working with Coal & Petroleum industries that deal with five-six of seven carbon compounds that can be purified and used as APIs.
- The CSIR is hopeful that they will be able to gain self sufficiency in 10-12 APIs in the coming 2-3 years.
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