The dragon effect is getting brighter in the domestic drug sector. Over 100 Chinese pharma manufacturers have lined up major India expansion plans via joint ventures, strategic alliances, research collaborations and wholly owned subsidiaries.
The major Chinese pharmaceutical and allied industry players looking at Indian opportunities include A H A International Co, Anhui Biochem Pharm Co, Asahi-Penn Chemical Co, Chengdu Nanxang Biochemical Products Co, CNSC Fortune Way Company, Dongying Tiandong Biochemical Industry Co, Chemwerth Inc, Gansu Xuejing among others.
The Chinese pharmaceutical industry, which has been keen to explore the overseas markets with only consumer oriented business strategies till now, has now realised the importance of Indian synergies in terms of formulation capabilities, service outsourcing strengths as well as market exploration, says a leading industry analyst.
Leading pharma players in the Chinese market such as Hebei Changshan Biochemical Pharmaceutical Co, Jiangsu Guotai Intl Group, Kaifeng Pharmaceutical (Group) Co, North China Pharmaceutical Victor Co, Shandong Baayuan Chemical, Shanghai Jinhe Bio-Technology Co are also learnt to have initiated strategic talks with Indian companies.
According to sources, at least 50 odd Chinese companies are currently in talks with Indian pharmaceutical formulation companies, R&D organisations and allied industry players. And there are other 25 to 30 units from the Chinese active pharmaceutical ingredients sector and pharmaceutical machinery sectors who have also sounded their plans for forming joint ventures and business collaborations with Indian industry.
"There will be a dozen Indo-Chinese strategic tie-ups that will be announced at the Convention for Pharmaceutical Ingredients India, which is taking place in the country this week," they added.
Most of these Chinese companies are participating in the forthcoming CPhI India, which is being held in Mumbai. CPhI India is part of the world's largest pharmaceutical event organised by CMP India, the Indian subsidiary of the European business to business event management group -- United Business Media.
"The Chinese drugs and pharmaceutical players' increased interest in exploring the Indian market as well as industry capabilities is quite evident now by their substantial participation in CPhI India," said M Gandhi managing director, CMP India.
The first edition of CPhI India will be held in conjunction with the 58th Indian Pharmaceutical Congress and the Pharmaceutical Expo 2006 machinery and technology exhibition.
The event brings together the leading stakeholders -- pharmacists, pharmaceutical manufacturers and suppliers of pharmaceutical ingredients, manufacturing equipment and related services -- from both the Indian and the global pharmaceutical industry.