Merck Life Science will soon start the commercial production of deuterated compounds from its Bengaluru factory as it has entered into a five-year partnership with the Department of Atomic Energy for the constant supply of heavy water. The company signed the pact last month with the department’s Heavy Water Board and likely to start the production this month. The agreement is for non-nuclear applications of heavy water.
Dhananjay Singh, head of Science and Lab Solution Commercial, Merck Life Science India, said the supply of heavy water will enable the manufacturing of deuterium compounds, which are crucial inputs for deuterated active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), electronics and the semiconductor industry, he said.
He said the company is embarking on an ambitious plan to broaden its heavy water processing capabilities and it was part of their strategic expansion plans in India.
Merck India has plans to cater to global markets for niche products and has set eyes on becoming a leading deuterated product manufacturer, he said stressing that such products have significant demand in electronics markets of Japan, Taiwan and South Korea.
“These compounds have slower pharmacokinetics and lesser toxicological side effects, leading to the formulation of more effective drugs,” Singh added.
The semiconductor industry will also benefit from Merck’s deuterium-labelled reagents, he said adding that these reagents improve lifespan of semiconductors.
With an improvement in stability and reliability of semiconductors, electronic devices such as mobile phones and personal computers will function more effectively, he stressed.
Merck has a dedicated production site in Bengaluru’s Jigani, which produces approximately 5% of Merck’s global catalogued products and houses a distribution centre besides warehousing facilities. Further investment into the Jigani site has already been planned and will be executed in the next one to three years, Singh said.
“We are receiving interest from potential partners for the export of deuterated products. Details of export activities, such as when and how much to export, depend on various factors, including regulations, policies and specific business agreements,” Singh said.
From the capacity point of view, the company can export from July itself but it will depend on prescribed guidelines and procedures established by the authorities in relevant regions, Singh said.
A K Mohanty, chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, said the local production of deuterium labelled compounds in India by private parties would boost exports and the country could become part of a global supply chain of deuterated products.