KOCHI: The state-owned drugmaker, Kerala State Drugs & Pharmaceuticals Ltd (KSDP), is undertaking a significant initiative to enhance accessibility to cancer drugs by focusing on the production of essential non-patented medications.
The company, headquartered in Alappuzha, is poised to establish a new plant at the Oncology Pharma Park in Kalavoor.
KSDP chairman C B Chandrababu said that the drug manufacturer will focus on producing high-demand oncology drug formulations in the initial phase, emphasising the societal benefits. “We have identified 20 oncology drugs with substantial demand in Kerala and other states. The production of affordable drugs will significantly contribute to the well-being of the common man. We have reached out to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) for assistance,” he said.
He further mentioned that the company has conducted several rounds of discussions with renowned oncologists from India and abroad. KSDP is actively collaborating with the Regional Cancer Centre and the Malabar Cancer Centre to identify essential drugs and facilitate their production.
As per a report from the Indian Council for Medical Research, cancer incidence burden is on the rise in India. The cost of cancer care is financially prohibitive, nearly three times higher than that of other non-communicable diseases. The upcoming cancer drug facility will be situated on a 6.38-acre land in Kalavoor, with a total estimated investment of around `231 crore, funded through the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board. The detailed project report for the production facility has been submitted and it was approved by the state government. Upon becoming operational, the facility is poised to manufacture six crore tablets, 4.5 crore capsules, and 37 lakh intravenous medications annually.
After achieving a revenue of Rs 122 crore in 2020-21 fiscal, primarily driven by the surge in sanitiser manufacturing during the pandemic, KSDP witnessed a decline in revenue post-pandemic-related boom. Chandrababu mentioned that the plant is currently operating at full capacity, and the volume of drug manufacturing is at an all-time high. Despite the challenges, KSDP aims to reach a turnover of Rs 100 crore in the current fiscal year.
Established in 1971 with the primary objective of supplying medicines to the Government of Kerala, KSDP has played a crucial role in delivering a diverse range of medicines to government hospitals and institutions in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.