Cadila Pharma spreads wings to Rwanda

Ahmedabad-based Cadila Pharmaceuticals Ltd is all set to step into Rwandan soil. CSM Global Pharma, a joint venture between Cadila Pharma and US-based Holtzman Group will invest $65 million to set up a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Kigali, Rwanda in association with the Rwandan Development Board (RDB). The Rwandan Development Board said in its website that the plant would manufacture solids, tablets and capsules; liquids, gels, ointments, creams and syrups; biologicals, injectables and vaccines and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). It would be fully operational by 2015.The RDB website also notes that the project is intended to employ hundreds of local Rwandans and is a partnership with Rwanda's Social Security Fund, Camerwa and Crystal Ventures. Cadila Pharma declined to comment officially, but a source in the company confirmed the development. Cadila already has presence in Africa through a 60:40 joint venture with a local partner Almeta Impex. The joint venture firm called Cadila Pharmaceuticals (Ethiopia) PLC is operational since the last three years and is expected to clock a turnover of Rs 20 crore for the year 2010. Rwanda currently depends on imports to meet its requirement for pharmaceutical products. According to estimates, around 30 per cent of imports into Rwanda are counterfeit. The CSM Global Pharma plant is likely to improve the country's self-sufficiency in terms of drugs production. Cadila also has a joint venture with NASDAQ listed company Novavax Inc. USA called CPL Biologicals Pvt Ltd. Cadila holds 80 per cent equity in the JV, while the remaining is with Novavax. The JV is working in the area of development and manufacturing of therapeutic and prophylactic vaccines, biological therapeutics and diagnostics in India. The JVC is in the process of developing novel vaccines based on “Virus Like Particles” (VLP) technology.