GSK starts work on $153m anti inflammatories and gastro drug plant in India
The manufacturing facility will be located at a 50 acre site in the Vemagal industrial area, Kolar district in Karnataka State in southern India.
Anna Carruth, a spokeswoman for the UK-headquartered pharmaceutical confirmed that construction has begun, telling in-Pharmatechnologist.com “today was the laying of the first stone in the build.”
She said that: “The factory will make more than 8 billion tablets and 1 billion capsules a year in the areas of gastroenterology and anti-inflammatory medicines for the Indian market” adding that the site will employ “in the region of 300, once fully operational.”
Construction will cost around £100m ($153m) according to Carruth, who said: “The facility is part of GSK’s continued commitment to India, ensuring increased access to GSK medicines for people in the country.” The site is expected to be operational in 2017.
99 year lease
GSK was granted rights to use the 50 acre lot by the Karnataka regional government last year. In 2013, CEO GSK Andrew Witty said the firm would increase its presence in India.
The UK drugmaker has not acquired the land. Instead it has been granted a 99-year lease by the regional Government, which opted to stop selling industrial plots to manufacturers last year.
Prior to that decision companies could either buy land outright or lease it for a maximum of 30 years.