IPEC India hosts conference on ‘The need for total excipient control’

A host of reputed speakers spoke on various subjects that impact the excipients industry

The International Pharmaceutical Excipients Council of India (IPEC India) hosted its first ever annual conference in Mumbai recently to focus on the theme ‘The need for total excipient control.’ The conference was chaired by Ajit Singh, Chairman, IPEC India and ACG Worldwide. The guest of honour during the conference was Sudhanshu Pandey, IAS, Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, who inaugurated the event. He was joined by Dave Schoneker, Global Expansion Controller, IPEC Federation and Subhodh Priolkar, Vice Chairman, IPEC India, Peter Salazar and SM Mudda, Managing Committee Member, IPEC India.

Singh said, “Today, excipients are an important part of the formulation for optimal drug delivery system. IPEC India is the foremost body that is taking concrete steps to ensure total patient safety in this country through such conferences wherein key stakeholders get a common platform to meet and deliberate on areas that concern them the most.”

Schoneker during his presentation stated that IPEC is all about science and using this science to drive what is ultimately good to businesses across the world. IPEC Federation is the regional voice with a global influence. IPEC is the largest organisation in the world that focusses on excipients and excipient safety.

A host of other speakers spoke on various subjects that impact the excipients industry. They were Dr Sameer Navalgund, VP, USP-India; Seema Kamath, Manager, Global Regulatory Management Life Sciences, Merck; Vishakha Metkar, Manager, Regulatory Affairs, Colorcon South Asia and TS Shadagopan, Product Manager, SGS India and Kedar Chikhalikar, Associate Head – Technical Services, Lubrizol Advanced Materials.

Kamath stressed that poor quality excipients can hamper a drug batch or the final drug product. Therefore, it is critical only to use components in drug formulation from high quality reliable suppliers who have good change notification programmes in place.

Shadagopan gave an overview of EXCiPACT and other certifications. He said that IPEC is doing a very good job of education. He appealed that IPEC India should approach all excipient manufacturers in India and ask them to be members of the council. Shadagopan also announced that ‘ACG Associated Capsules’ (manufacturer of Gelatin and Cellulose Capsules) have received the EXCiPACT Certification on this very day.”

The event was attended by representatives from the pharma industry such as Merck, Unichem, Sun Pharma, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Micro Labs and Cipla. Key players in the excipients industry including BASF, Colorcon Asia, Dow Corning as well as ACG Worldwide also ttok part in the event.

EP News Bureau – Mumbai