R&D spending by India’s 25 biggest drugmakers grew nearly 17 percent in 2008-09, with several increasing their investments by over 40 percent, according to a survey by Pharmabiz. Total R&D spending by the drugmakers reached $683 million, or 7.75 percent of their sales, up from 7.6 percent in the previous year.

Among those that boosted R&D spending by more than 40 percent during the year were Jubilant Organosys, Matrix, Sun Pharma Advance, Ind-Swift, Stride Arcolab and Piramal Healthcare. But the biggest spender was Ranbaxy, spending a total of $100 million, up 2.4 percent from the previous year. The next biggest spender was Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, then Lupin.

The survey also forecasts a growing numbers of Abbreviated New Drug Applications and Drug Master Files in highly-regulated markets; more mergers and acquisitions, and licensing, and greater revenue from contract research and manufacturing services. According to Pharmabiz, Dr Reddy’s filed 23 ANDAs during 2008-9, received approval for the same number of ANDAs and launched 16 new products onto the US market. Also during the year, Orchid filed 58 ANDAs and Lupin filed 28.

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