Aurobindo Pharma Ltd is expected to file for approval of its first peptide product before the end of this fiscal. Peptides are amino acids and regulate physiological processes.
“We have started investing in this area in the last three to four quarters and our commercial facility is now ready with two modules,’’ said Managing Director N. Govindarajan during a recent earnings call.
The facility is located at Aurobindo Pharma’s existing plant in Pashmylaram, near Hyderabad.
The company did not disclose the exact nature of the investments in it. Once a product is filed, the facility generally gets inspected by global regulators.
Of late, there has been an expansion in the use of peptides as drugs in therapeutic areas such as neurology, endocrinology and haematology. Around 32 peptides are commercially available across the world.
“We feel strongly that we will be a predominant player as we start getting approvals in the regulated markets,” said Govindarajan .
At present, two large companies in Europe and the US are into peptides, with $100 million-$300 million of business. Aurobindo hopes to become the third largest player.
By 2018, the peptide industry itself could be worth $15-18 billion, according to industry estimates. “Clearly, there is huge potential. In the next few years, we should be reaching $100-200 million,’’ Govindarajan said.
Aurobindo’s consolidated net profit increased 5.7 per cent to Rs 235 crore in the second quarter ended September from Rs 222 crore in the year-ago period. Revenue grew 27.6 per cent to Rs 1,913 crore.