VSEZ approves Hetero Biopharma to make120 million doses of Sputnik

Visakhapatnam The Unit Approval Committee (UAC) of Visakhapatnam Special Economic Zone on Friday approved manufacture of various lifesaving drugs for COVID-19 on a large-scale which includes vaccines in Telangana State.

The meeting was held virtually under the chairmanship of VSEZ Development Commissioner A. Rama Mohan Reddy approved broadbanding and procurement of duty-free material worth hundreds of crores for the upcoming SEZs like Phoenix, TCS and Laxmi infobahn,

Hetero Biopharma Unit 2 at Jadcherla SEZ will also make Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine of 120 million doses per annum. It will also export pharma worth Rs.1150 crore when it is allowed to be exported . In the meantime, these vaccines will be used within the country, Reddy told Bizz Buzz after the meeting.

There are a total of 61 SEZs operational under VSEZ with headquarters in Visakhapatnam as on date with 523 operational units.

The 3rd UAC meeting of the VSEZ for the FY 2021-22, accorded approvals for manufacture of various lifesaving drugs related to COVID-19 such as Tocilizumab, Tenecteplase, Denosumab to Hetero Biopharma in Jadcherla SEZ for testing purposes. Similarly, Divis Lab in Yadadri-Bhongir will make 'Molnufiravir' API of 100 MT per annum, which is again a COVID drug.

Reddy said the Shilpa Medicare will make Amphotericin b Liposome Inj 50 mg/vial which is in huge demand for black fungus, of 26664 vials for testing purposes. Once approved by the DGCA this will go into commercial production soon.

The Development Commissioner said that VSEZ has become a pharma hub for the country with its pharma SEZs of high standards, located at Atchutapuram, Parawada, Pydibheemavaram, Bheemili, Nakkapall in Andhra Pradesh and Jadcherla, in Telanagana with renowned pharma companies like Dr Reddy's, Divis, Laurus labs, Biocon, Pfizer, Lee pharma, Cornelius,

Gland pharma, Shilpa Medicare, Sanofi, Mylan, Aurobindo, and Hetero etc., operating successfully. Last year, the pharma units exported to the tune of Rs 20,500 crore from VSEZ recording a growth of 40%. This year too, in just two and half months pharma companies have shown an export of Rs 4,240 crore.

To a query, Reddy said,that during the current year also, despite lockdown, VSEZ achieved an export of Rs 20,173 crore up to June 14 which is 21% higher than last yea and appreciated all the units and developers especially the pharma sector for their

contribution, because of which merchandise recorded a growth of 31% and services of 17% this year. Last year the exports from VSEZ crossed Rs.1 trillion-mark for the first time since inception.