ZIM Laboratories Limited

Zim Laboratories Limited partners with India's leading Pharma  Business Magazine, Express Pharma.  Following the successful first edition of Formulation and Drug Delivery (FDD) Conclave, The Indian Express (P) Ltd and Express Pharma – India’s leading Pharma Business Magazine have designed an even more rewarding experience. With the theme ‘ Expanding Horizons of FDD Research: Embracing complexity ’, the second edition of FDD Conclave takes a deeper dive into evolving regulations which are fundamental to the FDD scientists' role as key gatekeepers of a company's future reputation and market leadership. Original Article

Drug companies are moving up the value chain, transforming into complex generic manufacturers with high end R&D facilities. Nagpur-based Zim Laboratories is a non-descript drug company with turnover in excess of Rs 250 crore. In the past two decades, Zim has been silently working on developing innovative and differentiated pharmaceutical products or specialty generic complex drugs. Recently, it developed a new product, Orally Disintegrating Strip (ODS) formulations up to 100 milligram, based on a patented oral thin film technology. These films, when placed on the tongue, adhere to the tongue mucosa and disintegrate almost instantaneously. There are only some 10 companies across the globe with this technology, but they are not able to grab a big share of the market due to prohibitive manufacturing costs. "With our technology, we can offer thin films at a price near to that of an oral tablet," says Anwar S. Daud, Managing Director of Zim Laboratories. Original Article ...

Mumbai:  In a bid to provide relief to bedridden patient from gulping down several medicines on a daily basis, a Nashik-based pharmaceutical company has procured a first-of-its-kind multi-layer oral thin films (OTF) or drug strips that melt when kept on the tongue. A senior health official said this drug delivery method has already received approval from Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation and will be available at a similar price as the tables. They would first start manufacturing medicines for asthma and allergy on a trial basis. The officials said most OTFs are extremely expensive due to which common people can’t afford them. These films are useful for patients suffering cancer, asthma, cardiac ailments.  “We decided to work on developing multi-layer oral films after getting a good response from patients on the one-layer oral films. Later, the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) approved the product which would soon be released in the market,” said Dr Anwar Daud,...

Medicines administered to bedridden patients in the form of oral thin films might get a whole lot cheaper in India soon. A Nagpur-based pharmaceutical company has produced the country's first multi-layer oral thin films (OTF), making the otherwise imported medicines inexpensive and more accessible. The India-developed film, made by Zim Laboratories, has already received approval from Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) and will be available at a price similar to that of the tablets. In 2015, CDSCO gave the lab the approval manufacture and market OTFs of two medicines: Montelukast sodium and Levocetirizine Dihydrochloride used for treatment of allergies and asthma (mid-day has a copy). These melt-in-the-mouth films are usually given to bedridden patients who cannot gulp down tablets. They are especially useful for those suffering from cancer, asthma and cardiac ailments. Original Article

Recently, oral dispersible films are gaining interest as an alternative of orally dispersible tablets and other conventional orals. The films are designed to dissolve upon contact with a wet surface, such as the tongue, within a few seconds, meaning the consumer can take the product without need for additional liquid. This convenience provides both a marketing advantage and increased patient compliance. Dr Anwar Daud, Managing Director, Zim Laboratories Limited, in an exclusive interaction with Mahesh Kallayil, talks about market for Thin Film Drugs in India, its advantage over traditional dosage forms and much more. As a leading player in Thin Film Drug manufacturing, how do you see Indian market for Thin Film Drugs maturing? How do you compare it with other international markets?  The opportunity for oral dispersible films as a simple replacement for orally   dispersible tablets and other conventional orals is by itself a huge opportunity   con...

African Union (AU) is coming up with an African Medicine Agency (AMA) which will be tasked with cooperation and strengthening of healthcare activities to harmonize medicine regulation of member states of the Union in line with European Medicine Agency (EMA). There are 55 countries in African Union. In August 2017 AU had come up with draft treaty for the establishment of AMA. Once the draft treaty is ratified by the member states, it will pave the way for setting up of AMA. The main objective of AMA is to improve access to quality, safe and efficacious medical products on the continent through coordination and strengthening of ongoing initiatives to harmonize medicines regulation, promote cooperation and mutual recognition of regulatory decisions. Besides, it will be carrying out regulatory oversight of selected medical products and providing technical guidance to AU member states and Regional Economic Community (RECs) recognized by AU, pooling expertise and capacities and strength...

The Nagpur-based ZIM Laboratories, a leading provider of new drug delivery systems, has embarked on an initiative to expand its presence in Europe and US markets over the next three years with an investment of  Rs.  220 crore and broaden portfolio of novel and differentiated drug delivery solutions. Currently the firm is in talks with co-partners and distribution channels in Europe to start business activities by 2019 and will soon commence product registration there. Next step will be US market. For this, we are planning to set up a plant spanning over 6 acres of land in Multi-Modal International Air Cargo and Hub (MIHAN), Nagpur which we procured recently. The plant will develop products for US market after it is approved by US FDA. The products ranges from complex generics to drugs that went off patent over the last couple of years and drugs that will go off patent from 2018-2022, said Anwar S Daud, managing director of ZIM Labs. Original Article

Nagpur-based ZIM Laboratories that develops and manufactures innovative and differentiated pharmaceutical products, has now developed affordable orally disintegrating strips (ODS) formulations up to 100 milligram that critically ill and bed-ridden patients can consume instead of swallowing tablets and taking painful injections. These films, based on a patented oral thin film technology, adhere to the tongue mucosa and disintegrate almost instantaneously, when placed on the tongue.  Market opportunity for the drug is huge in the country, as about Rs. 35,000 crore worth of drugs are delivered every year in oral solid dosage forms.  Original Article

Nagpur-based ZIM Laboratories that develops and manufactures innovative and differentiated pharmaceutical products, has now developed affordable orally disintegrating strips (ODS) formulations upto 100 milligram that critically ill and bed-ridden patients can consume instead of swallowing tablets and taking painful injections. These films, based on a patented oral thin film technology, adhere to the tongue mucosa and disintegrate almost instantaneously, when placed on the tongue. "Though there are some ten companies across the globe that have this technology, they were not able to grab a big share of the market due to its prohibitive costs. By our technology, we can offer thin films almost equal to that of what costs a tablet", Anwar S Daud, Managing Director of ZIM Labs told Business Today. Original Article