Indonesian pharma giant eyes SL entry

Southeast Asia’s largest pharmaceutical company, Indonesia-based PT Kalbe Farma, is looking for a partner in Sri Lanka to manufacture generic drugs for export to destinations in the Middle East, United States and Europe.

According to a Singapore-based publication, PT Kalbe Farma would initially export products to Sri Lanka through a local partner, before venturing into a manufacturing facility in the country. At present, PT Kalbe Farma sells more than 94 per cent of its products to the Indonesian market. However, according to PT Kalbe Farma President Director Vidjongtius, the company’s sales remain sluggish in Indonesia and the company was eyeing new markets to broaden its reach.

“Our focus has been in the ASEAN region so far and we have been quite successful,” Vidjongtius told the Singaporean publication.
According to him, the company’s ultimate mission was to develop a portfolio for developed and more regulated markets, such as US and Europe.

He said for this, the company was upgrading quality standards to global level.
Sri Lanka plans to manufacture more than 60 per cent of its pharmaceutical requirement in Sri Lanka by 2020 and signed an agreement early last month to develop a special manufacturing zone for the industry.
The Government also last month disclosed interests by other international pharmaceutical manufactures to enter Sri Lanka and said that many will be placing their plants in various areas in the country. (MA)