US drug standards agency expands testing facility in India

US Pharmacopeial Convention (USP), a non-profit organisation that sets standards for quality and safety of medicines, opened its expanded Indian testing facility in Hyderabad today, on Friday.

USP said it has invested around $14 million in its new, expanded, state-of-the-art facility in the IKP Knowledge Park in Hyderabad.
 
The expanded facility at Hyderabad, USP's second biggest after its US facility, will undertake collaborative and verification testing of medicines produced in the country to attest whether the drugs conform to USP standards.

This facility is expected to help Indian drug makers better access global markets, including the US.

"USP's new facility expands its presence from 14,000 square feet to over 100,000 square feet while the number of employees will go up from 70 to 90 in the coming year," USP said in a release today.

"Indian exporters of pharma products can export to the US and other markets with the USP certification directly. Medicines not covered by the Indian Pharmacopeia can also be tested at our facility here," Roger Williams, USP's chief executive, said.

The new facility which will give the USP stamp will also reduce cost for Indian drug makers since it would save time and cost of getting the drugs tested in different countries in accordance with their regulations.

Williams said the Hyderabad facility will be playing a more active part in USP's global verification programmes, especially for dietary supplements.