Can you share how the Akums grew to be India’s largest contract research and manufacturing organization?

Akums offers a comprehensive range of services starting from formulation development to market launch all en suite. The company offers exclusive services in the field of commercial drug development from the point of formulation till its market launch. The organization has 15 advanced manufacturing units, which collectively are producing 12% of the nation’s drug supply. They are equipped to produce all modern dosage forms such as tablets, hard gelatin capsules, soft gelatin capsules, powder in sachets, liquid syrups and suspensions, injections, eye/ear drops, ointments, creams, gels, lotions, ayurvedic and herbal preparations, nutraceutical and cosmetic preparations and many more.

I can proudly say that Akums is a vertically integrated pharma company and the largest Indian CDMO player.

Are there any exciting developments currently underway in your company’s R&D department?

Akums has two independent world-class R&D setups along with miniature R&D and F&D setups plant-wise equipped with best in class technology and manpower. New products developed and offered by Akums are globally accepted with 908 DCGI approvals, 662 FSSAI approvals, 4 patent grants and 74 filed patents.

Especially, our R&D is working on converting antibiotic syrups for children into chewable tablet improving the mode of drug delivery, thereby improving the ‘experience’ for children. Our R&D team has achieved tablet size reduction with no compromise on the therapeutic effect. One of the developments that I am very proud of is the reduction in excipient load which has been internally achieved. Apart from this, our R&D team has launched many new products for the first time in India across therapies. We have several innovative products such as the fast melt dissolving antacid powder, the painless progesterone injection, medicinal jellies & chewing gums.

What are the benefits to backward integration through APIs, and how has Akums navigated this approach?

Akums has stepped-up backward integration possibilities by recently acquiring and scaling up API manufacturing plants in India. We want to see India capture the API space and contribute towards being Atmanirbhar. Even now, there is a huge gap in API production in India.

Can you provide an outline of Akums’ global reach?

Akums has largely focused on the domestic market where we have a pole position which we intend to consolidate further. Recently, two of our manufacturing units in Haridwar have received the stringent EU-GMP approval. We are well positioned not just to serve domestic markets, but also to serve the international market. Akums has been exporting formulation products to various global markets, with presence in geographies such as Europe, Africa, Asia, CIS countries in addition to Latin America. Around 1,500 dossiers have been filed as per CTD, ACTD and guidelines of the MOH of various countries. The manufacturing units have international approvals like: ANVISA – Brazil, FDA Philippines, NAFDAC Nigeria, FDB – Ghana, PMPB – Malawi, PPB – Kenya, NDA-Uganda, MOH – Libya, MOH – Cambodia, DDA – Nepal, CD&DA – Sri Lanka, MOH – Vietnam, MOH-Afghanistan, MOH-Yemen, DPM – Ivory Coast, TFDA Tanzania, ZAZIBONA, MOH – Kazakhstan.

There are plans in pipeline to create joint ventures in various countries, to set up manufacturing units and/or packaging units for semi-finished products exported from Akums, India. We look forward to cater to more clients globally including in Europe in the next few years, with an aim to export our unique formulations. The quality-first approach which we have always adopted since inception in the domestic market will serve us well in our export initiative.

To conclude, what are your key priorities for your company for the next five years?

In the next five years, our key priorities are to consolidate and grow our flagship CDMO business, establish our API business and have a very healthy export-domestic mix. The demand for nutraceutical products will grow as the focus has shifted to wellness post 2020. We will up the ante on manufacturing nutraceutical products, injectable products & gummies (chewable medicines) as our main forte till now has been allopathy. We will endeavor to strengthen our R&D to a much greater extent. In the next couple of years, Akums is planning to transform its manufacturing processes, innovate new patient-friendly and unique formulations and their APIs, digitize operations, to leap frog and continue its leadership position as India’s largest and most trusted pharma CRAMS company.