Hyderabad, India, headquartered Laurus Labs combines cost arbitrage with research and manufacturing, to grow the company.
The company manufactures active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) for select generic drugs used in anti-AIDS, Hepatitis C, and oncology therapy. Currently, it produces 1,000 pounds to 12 tons of anti-retroviral APIs at its peak, at different facilities in the country.
CEO Satyanarayana Chava says, “So far we have invested $600 million in API manufacturing and another $600 million in formulations facilities.
“The golden period for manufacturing-based pharma companies has just begun. The government’s production-linked incentives will add strength to that.”
Satyanarayana Chava, founder-CEO, Laurus Labs
A third of the company’s sales are customer-driven through contract manufacturing projects, while the rest is guided by Laurus’ own strategy. The former is growing thanks to large capacity investments and low attrition among senior leadership.
Laurus has invested in the Indian Institute of Technology’s Bombay-based start-up, Immunoadoptive Cell Therapy Pvt. Ltd. (ImmunoACT), which is developing indigenous CAR T-cell therapy.