The pharma intermediates list offered by Indian API and intermediate manufacturing units is enormous – and today, India is one of the most important and fastest-growing suppliers for active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) and intermediates.
But how important are APIs manufacturing units and intermediate manufacturing units in India during COVID-19, and what will happen in the post COVID-19 world?
APIs, or Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients, are active ingredients in medication that cause its effects. A pain killer medicine, for example, may have an opioid-derived API in a small amount, ensuring the proper dosage for the end user.
Pharmaceutical intermediates are similar. These are chemicals and compounds that are combined to synthesize an API. By combining multiple intermediates, medicine can be created with lower costs compared to synthesizing each component on its own. There is a long pharma intermediates list, since tens of thousands of intermediates are used to create various active pharmaceutical ingredient compounds.
Demand for APIs and intermediates is growing, and has been forecasted by Zion Market Research to reach US $33.6 billion by the year 2024. According to this research report, India and China are both expected to be major market drivers in the pharmaceutical intermediate market, thanks to the high-quality, low-cost APIs and intermediates offered by both countries.
APIs made in India are much cheaper compared to those made in Europe and North America, while offering comparable quality and abiding by GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) and the requirements of the FDA and other regulatory agencies – so multinational drug makers can enjoy major cost savings when using APIs and intermediates from India.
COVID-19 has disrupted worldwide supply chains, and drugmakers in both India and elsewhere in the world may be searching for a reliable supply of high-quality intermediates and APIs.
Because of this, India is in a great position to take advantage of a surge in demand. More than $1.2 billion US has been invested in Indian API and intermediate facilities, which will help drive demand both domestically and abroad in Europe, the United States, and other powerful nations.
This will also help reduce India’s reliance on China for APIs and pharmaceutical compounds – which was one of the reasons the Indian government has made such a large investment.
When it comes to selling intermediates and APIs nationally and using GMP from manufacturing to obtain certification globally, Indian intermediate and API manufacturers are in a great position. With a long pharma intermediates list and many exports that meet GMP, US FDA, and other manufacturing standards, India is in a position to overtake China in the future when it comes to manufacturing intermediate and API compounds for use in drug manufacturing – both domestically and abroad.