Page 156 - CW E-Magazine (17-6-2025)

Pharmaceuticals Hydrocarbons

AIDING SELF-SUFFICIENCY NEW PROJECT

PLI scheme for six APIs and fi ve intermediates rolled out CPCL seeks Govt. nod for 9-mtpa refi nery in Cauvery Basin
The Department of Pharmaceuticals according to available capacities, incentive The Chennai Petroleum Corporation
(DoP) in the Ministry of Chemicals ceiling in respect of products and limit of Ltd. (CPCL) has formally sought govern-
and Fertilisers is inviting applications incentive up to the production tenure, i.e., ment approval for its ambitious Cauvery
from drugmakers for a Production Linked up to FY28 for chemical synthesis products Basin Refi nery Project in Tamil Nadu,
Incentive (PLI) scheme to encourage and up to FY29 for fermentation-based valued at Rs. 36,400-crore.
setting up new manufacturing capacities products, have to be complied with,” said
for 11 eligible products. the DoP. The company had acquired about
1,300-acres of land in Nagapattinam for
The DoP will select a maximum of 25 Applicants or their group companies,
applicants in this round, for six fermen- including subsidiaries, who had applied setting up a refi nery with a capacity of
9-mtpa, CPCL Managing Director, Mr. H.
tation-based niche key starting materials earlier under the scheme for the said pro-
(KSMs) or drug intermediates (DIs) or The DoP also plans to select applicants ducts and were granted approval, but who Shankar said on June 3. In March 2024,
active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), for chemical synthesis-based products: subsequently withdrew from the scheme or Indian Oil Corporation, the parent company
and fi ve chemical synthesis-based KSMs,  2-Methyl-5-nitroimidazole (2-MNI), whose approval was cancelled in line with of CPCL, had said its Board gave approval
DIs and APIs. Four applicants (800-tpa); the clauses of the scheme guidelines or for the revision in cost of the project from 1992, had a capacity of 0.5-mtpa. How- approved by the government and in 2023
 Dicyandiamide (DCDA), three appli- owing to non-performance, are not eligible Rs. 29,361-crore to Rs. 33,023-crore. The ever, it was shut down in 2019. In 2021, land acquisition started. The new refi nery
The DoP has so far completed four cants (8,000-tpa); to apply. It may be noted that the DoP has earlier refi nery at the site, established in fi nal approval for a new refi nery was will also have a larger petrochemical focus.
rounds of selections of eligible candidates,  1,1-Cyclohexanediacetic acid (CDA), received around 249 applications in four
under the scheme. one applicant (1,500-tpa); rounds since the launch of the PLI scheme GROWTH DRIVERS
 Ciprofl oxacin, four applicants (150-tpa); for pharmaceuticals. City Gas Distribution to drive India’s gas demand
The six eligible fermentation-based and
products and the minimum capacity for  Diclofenac sodium, one applicant Some of the notable projects under The City Gas Distribution (CGD) near 200-mmscmd (million standard cubic are on the anvil. However, CGD sector
each applicant is as follows: (175-tpa). the scheme include Penicillin G project in sector is expected to surpass fertilisers metres per day) of gas consumption in the consumption could go up to 100-mmscmd
 Erythromycin thiocyanate (TIOC), Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, with an invest- this year to become the largest consumer country. Natural gas consumption is likely from 41.1-mmscmd in February/March
two applicants (800-tpa); Eligible applicants are invited to apply ment of Rs. 1,910-crore, which is expected of natural gas in India, thanks to the fast to rise to 300-250-mmscmd in the next 2025.” The CGD sector will drive India’s
 Neomycin, two applicants (80-tpa); through online mode from May 15 to June to substitute imports of Rs. 2,700-crore growth of CNG and piped gas networks. 7-10 years, GAIL Director (Marketing) ambition to raise the share of natural gas in
 Gentamicin, two applicants (40-tpa); 14, 2025, with the last date of receipt of per annum, and Clavulanic Acid project in Mr. Sanjay Kumar. energy basket to 15% from the current 7%.
 Clindamycin, two applicants (60-tpa); complete application being June 14. Nalagarh, Himachal Pradesh, with an CGD, which encompasses supply of But domestic production is insuffi cient to
 Streptomycin, two applicants (50-tpa); investment of Rs. 450-crore, which is CNG as fuel to automobiles, and piped gas While the fertiliser sector consumes meet demand and the country has to neces-
and “As per the decision taken, the condi- expected to substitute investment of to household kitchens for cooking as well 60-mmscmd annually, this is likely to sarily rely on imports of liquefi ed natural
 Tetracycline, two applicants (200-tpa). tions under the scheme, such as allocation Rs. 600-crore per annum. as to industries, accounts for 21.22% of the remain the same as no new fertiliser plants gas (LNG).

PATENT FIGHT BROWNFIELD EXPANSION

US appeals court upholds Acadia’s patent for Parkinson’s drug EIL completes Dabhol breakwater for GAIL, enabling LNG
Acadia Pharmaceuticals said that invalidated by a later one if they share comes after another favourable ruling
the US Court of Appeals has confi rmed the same priority date. for Acadia regarding its formulation imports through the year
the validity of its patent for Nuplazid, patent for Nuplazid. In a signifi cant boost to India’s energy Dabhol facility into an all-weather termi- Ports Committee (NSPC), enabling unin-
its drug for hallucinations and delusions “We are gratifi ed that the US Federal infrastructure, Engineers India Ltd. (EIL) nal. Developed by GAIL and executed by terrupted operations, especially during the
associated with Parkinson’s disease. Appeals Court has affi rmed the lower The court supported Acadia’s claims has successfully overseen the berthing and Larsen & Toubro (L&T), the project fea- southwest monsoon season. EIL played a
court’s ruling in favour of our composition of infringement and validity in its legal discharge of GAIL (India) Ltd.’s LNG tures a 2.3 km-long Island Rubble Mound pivotal role in coordinating complex engi-
The decision supports a December of matter patent for Nuplazid, securing case against Aurobindo Pharma and other vessel at the Dabhol LNG Terminal, mark- Breakwater. Reinforced with one million neering tasks, environmental clearances,
2023 ruling from the US District Court protection into 2030 for this patent, and companies. ing the commissioning of a cutting-edge cubic meters of boulders in a triple-layered and the overall execution of the project.
of Delaware, ensuring the patent remains beyond based on the recent favourable breakwater facility on June 2, 2025. design, the breakwater is engineered to
protected in Acadia’s legal battle against ruling for our formulation patent provid- The US FDA approved Nuplazid for withstand severe marine conditions. The upgraded terminal, with a regasi-
India-based MSN Laboratories.The ing patent protection for Nuplazid 34 mg the treatment of hallucinations and delu- As the Project Management Consul- fi cation capacity of 5-mtpa, is expected to
appeals court followed a precedent that capsule formulation into 2038,” said CEO, sions associated with Parkinson’s disease tant (PMC), EIL was instrumental in exe- The facility was certifi ed as an all- enhance India’s energy security by ensuring
says an earlier patent claim cannot be Catherine Owen Adams. This decision psychosis in 2016. cution of the project, which transforms the weather port by the Navigation Safety in year-round LNG supply.

156 Chemical Weekly June 17, 2025 Chemical Weekly June 17, 2025 157

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