HYDERABAD: Cementing further, Hyderabad’s position as the vaccine capital of the world, Biological E (BE) has announced its expansion plans for investment of more than Rs 1,800 crore, which is expected to create more than 2,500 jobs in its three facilities in Genome Valley here.
The expansion is primarily targeted to ramp up the manufacturing of vaccines along with generic injectables and R&D. According to Biological E, Hyderabad accounts for one-third of global vaccine production with a capacity of about nine billion doses per annum.
The new investment will enhance the capacity by five billion doses, increasing the cumulative capacity to about 14 billion doses per year, the company said.
The focus will be on manufacturing of Janssen Covid, MR, PCV, Typhoid and Covid vaccines, Tetanus Toxide Ampoules, IPV vaccine, and Pertussis vaccine, biological APIs and formulations, specialty generic injectables and R&D with a cumulative investment of Rs 1,800 crore with an employment potential of 2,518 people, the company added.
Biological E Limited (BE) commenced its operations in 1953 as a biological products company manufacturing liver extracts and anticoagulants. It is the first private sector biological products company in India and the first pharmaceutical company in southern India.
At present, BE has four strategic business units: Branded Formulations, Speciality Generic Injectables, Synthetic Biology and Vaccines and Biologics in Telangana with six manufacturing facilities and creating direct employment for more than 5,000 people, the company said.
IT & Industries Minister KT Rama Rao said: “Hyderabad is already known as the vaccine capital of the world and this expansion further accelerates our strength to serve the world with life-saving vaccines.”
Mahima Datla, MD of Biological E, added: “I’m thankful to the Telangana government for continuing to facilitate in a way that enables us to take quick decisions to expand even during the pandemic times.”