Avesthagen-Cipla JV acquires Siegfried Biologics in Germany

Avestha Biotherapeutics and Research Pvt. Ltd. (ABRPL), a joint venture between Avesthagen and CIPLA group firm Meditab Specialities Ltd, has announced the acquisition of Siegfried Biologics GmbH, a fully owned subsidiary of the Siegfried Group in Switzerland.

The Siegfried Group is a global manufacturer and pharmaceutical products, with production facilities located in Switzerland, Germany, Malta and the US. Siegfried had annual sales of approx. CHF 320 million in 2006. Siegfried integrates two pharmaceutical business units. Siegfried Actives develops and produces both exclusive active pharmaceutical ingredients for the pharma industry and standard APIs. Siegfried Generics produces complex generic products.

ABRPL, based in Bangalore, will manufacture a series of biopharmaceuticals for the global markets with an initial focus on the BRIC markets. This acquisition fits into the strategy of being able to manufacture under USFDA and EMEA compliant conditions.

The facility is expected to initially focus on biopharmaceuticals that are presently under development at Avesthagen through the Avesthagen-Cipla joint venture agreement that was signed in May 2004.

Siegfried Biologics GmbH, based in Berlin Germany, was started 10 years ago as a contract manufacturing organization (CMO). The 50 plus team of people has a solid background and extensive experience in the development of biologics from cell line generation, upstream process development and scale-up to GMP manufacturing.

This acquisition will add process development and GMP manufacturing capabilities to the technology development prowess of Avesthagen and Cipla''s marketing expertise to further strengthen ABRPL''s impact on a market presently dominated by small chemical entities. The Indian biopharmaceutical business, presently estimated at $1.5 billion is expected to grow to about $5 billion by 2010, dominated by recombinant proteins, vaccines and monoclonal antibodies.

Villoo Morawala Patell, founder, vice chairperson and managing director of Avesthagen, said, "Avesthagen''s foray into the European market with its partner Cipla will bring a new dimension in cross-border technology development and bring cost-effective drugs to the global market at the right time and at the right price"

The drug development partnership between Avesthagen and Cipla focuses on development of biopharmaceuticals in the area of autoimmune disorders and cancers, with the first biotherapeutic product from ABRPL expected in the market in early 2009.