Look who's coming to India! USFDA

By siliconindia   |   Thursday, 26 August 2004, 19:30 IST
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HYDERABAD: With the product patent regime round the corner and the ever increasing thrust on the US generic markets by the Indian pharmaceutical companies, the United States Food and Drugs Administration (USFDA) is contemplating branching out to India. Besides Delhi, cities like Mumbai and Hyderabad are being considered for locating its branch office. Economic Times, a business daily, quoting sources said: "USFDA’s decision to set up an office in India is expected to save considerable time. The office will enable exchange of information between the US authorities and Indian pharma companies." "Besides the product patent regime, USFDA is also looking at India because India has the largest number of USFDA approved pharma plants (outside USA),” the daily said. India is currently home to as many as 61 USFDA approved pharma plants. Indian pharma companies are expected to notch a turnover of $12 billion by 2008 as against the current revenues of $7 billion. “Indian pharma companies have gained global recognition as producers of low-cost and high-quality bulk drugs and formulations,” the sources told the daily.