Pharmaceutical Industry

Technological advancement in pharmaceutical industry can improve the speed, performance

and results of the company goals. Competitive and technological advancing of pharmaceutical
industry in innovative R&D partnerships and marketing plans are reshaping the business
strategies of many pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

According to new research from the MIT Program on the Pharmaceutical Industry (POPI),
'many companies today are searching for ways to increase productivity, decrease costs, and
develop new treatment modalities that will enhance profitability'.

In Bangladesh, pharmaceuticals industries are the soul of healthcare sector. Comparing with
other sectors it is the most technologically advanced sector of Bangladesh. The Pharmaceuticals
industries have grown and developed notably in the last two decades. During these decades
pharmaceutical sector achieved a lofty position in international and local market. Pharmaceutical
companies fulfill more than 97% of regional demand of medicines and about 30 companies
export a significant quantity of medicines to 107 countries, including USA, UK, Germeny,
France, Italy, Canada, Netherlands and Denmark. International regulatory authorities like US-
FDA, UK-MHRA, Australia-TGA, EU have already certified some pharmaceutical companies
and soon some others are going to be certified and approved.

Though pharmaceutical industries in Bangladesh are showing their competitive performance by

assuring proper qualities with GMP, CGMP guidelines to manufacture drugs in local and global
market, they should be more advanced in technology to be listed on top tier world class
pharmaceutical companies. There are some improvements have needed to be more advanced in
following sector

Drug Development

In Bangladesh, no pharmaceutical companies exactly work on drug development but they change
and modify the formulation for better action. On the otherhand the continuing evolution of new
technologies, such as 3-D biological printing, ultra-high-resolution analytical instruments, next-
generation sequencing, desktop electron microscopy, gene therapy, translational research, stem
cell therapies and microbiomics are changing the traditional rules for drug development, as well
as the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) changing its own rules. Bangladesh National
Formulary should be proposed this advanced technology in Bangladeshi drug industries to apply
in drug development for getting some extra advantages.

Manufacturing Development

Recent trends facing the pharmaceutical industry in Bangladesh pose numerous challenges to
manufacturers. FDA is working with drug makers in a new way to help the industry adopt
scientifically sound, novel technologies to produce quality medicines that are consistently safe
and effective.

FDA strives to support the modernization of pharmaceutical manufacturing by providing

guidance to drug companies that are pursuing new technologies. One example is the recent
approval of the first ever 3D printed pill which was for Spritam (levetiracetam), a medication to
treat epilepsy. In this case, FDA worked closely with the manufacturer to make 3D printing
technology a reality.

The structure and composition of functional coating of pharmaceutical products is critical and
manufacturing these products presents a challenge to the pharmaceutical industry. So
pharmaceutical companies should be develop novel sensing techniques and intelligent feedback
loops which will be automatic measurement system and greater control of pharmaceutical
coating process.

A pharmaceutical company always needs a good communication with the suppliers of research
and development and production equipment, analytical instrumentation and packaging systems
are responding with innovative technologies that meet a company needs.

In advanced level of pharmaceutical companies may target on genomics and truly personalized
medicine to enable us to receive therapy individually customized to our own genetic background.

In short, they must now look beyond their running production efficiently and rethink their whole
approach to it and demand a level of innovation that matches the recent changes in the
pharmaceutical landscape.
Economy and technological advancement in pharmaceutical industry

In Bangladesh Pharmaceutical sector is one of the most developed hi tech sector which is
contributing in the country's economy. Leading Pharmaceutical Companies are expanding their
business with the aim to expand export market. Recently few new industries have been
established with hi tech equipment and professionals which will enhance the strength of this
sector. Aiming at minimizing the import dependency on basic drugs, the country's prime concern
is about building up of own capability in the manufacturing of active pharmaceutical
ingredients(APIs), base materials and other allied industry inputs. Presently top pharmaceutical
companies in Bangladesh are also in the process of getting into bulk drug production with
collaborative technology, technology transfers and joint venture basis. The large-scale players in
the Bangladesh pharmaceutical industry currently include Square Pharma, Beximco, Incepta,
Opsonin, ACI, SKF and Renata among others. Bangladesh is ready to enter the highly regulated
market. For this reason different pharmaceutical companies are investing to build high tech
pharmaceutical industries. Some renowned companies have already entered the highly regulated
market and got the UK MHRA, EU, TGA Australia and GCC approval and some are in the
process to get the USFDA & UK MHRA approval.

Due to increase the demands for different technology based medical products few companies
have started to produce medical devices also. This will be another very promising branch of
pharmaceutical industries within few years.

Bangladesh, currently having more than a couple of hundred manufacturing facilities with huge
potential in pharmaceutical formulations, is heading on a new path of industry economics for
self-reliance.

Bangladesh exports pharmaceutical products to 87 countries, including the US and a few

European nations. The pharmaceutical sector has also earned the country over BDT.4.0 billion
through export of medicines. The export potential is far larger as the pharmaceutical companies
are now working with many foreign partner companies.