He was speaking after inaugurating three day Indo-US symposium on ‘Frontiers in medicinal chemistry and drug discovery’ organised by JSS University (Deemed) at Sri Rajendra Auditorium  on JSS Medical College premises in the city.

Said Singh; “When I assumed office in 2008, Indian pharmaceutical industry was the fourth largest producer in the world. Now, it has climbed a slot higher, at third place”. The industry is also recession proof with the exports during the period touching  ` 42,000 crore from previous  `  29,000 crore. The annual export in India alone is recorded at 10 per cent, he added. Emphasising on concentrating on inventing drugs, Singh said that the prevailing industry is in the thrall of more generic medicine.

Majority of the drugs registered at 99 per cent available in the market are generic. The time is apt to make a move from generic to drug discovery, as medicines worth 20 billion US dollars will go off patent up to 2013. There is a huge opportunity ahead and those in the realm have to exploit the same, Singh called. Citing an example, Singh noted that, this being the reality, most of the multinational companies are taking over pharmaceutical companies.

Listing out the impediments for drug discovery, Singh said there is a lack of domain expertise, infrastructure, besides huge investments needed for various phases . That’s the reason, of 10,000 molecules, only 500 will be able to make it to the market in the form of drug.

Saying that the future belongs to bio-technology, Singh gave a clarion call for the educational institutions for change in curriculum. If it happens, it would help in protecting the interests of the students who till now are taught about pharmacy without BT. In next 10 to 15 years, BT products will rule the scenario.

Not to forget, Singh said that the thrust is on reaching out to the common man discovering drugs to repose their faith in medicine. Drugs Controller of Karnataka, Bangalore, Dr B R Jagashetty, Secretary-cum-Scientific Director, Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission, Ghaziabad, Dr G N Singh, Advisor to Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi, Dr R Brakaspathy, JSS University (Deemed) Pro-chancellor B N Betkerur and V-C Dr B Suresh, Registrar Mruthyunjaya P Kulenur were present.