Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Ltd. has started trial production of penicillin at its newly built manufacturing facility in the National Special Economic Zone (NSEZ) in Mirsarai, Chattogram, established with an investment of approximately Tk 6 billion (Tk 600 crore).

The company expects to begin commercial marketing of the antibiotic next month, becoming the first manufacturer to commence pharmaceutical production in the industrial zone.

Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Chief Executive Officer Md. Halimuzzaman said the factory has obtained all the necessary regulatory approvals and has been conducting trial production since the last week of June.

He added that the company has invested nearly Tk 600 crore in the project so far, creating employment opportunities for around 300 people.

According to Halimuzzaman, only a few pharmaceutical companies in Bangladesh currently manufacture penicillin because the domestic market is dominated by newer-generation cephalosporin antibiotics. However, penicillin remains the most widely used antibiotic worldwide.

“Considering the strong global demand, we have established an international-standard penicillin manufacturing facility,” he said.

The company’s original plan was to produce not only finished pharmaceutical products but also Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs)—the key raw materials used in drug manufacturing. However, API production at the Mirsarai facility has not yet begun.

Halimuzzaman noted that Healthcare Pharmaceuticals was the first company to start production at the API Industrial Park in Munshiganj, where it is now operating on a commercial scale.

Industry entrepreneurs said that many of the infrastructure facilities promised for the National Special Economic Zone have yet to be completed. They believe businesses will benefit significantly once the government’s planned infrastructure development is fully implemented.

Source: The Business Standard