‘Pharma, Life Sciences spearhead manufacturing growth’

Life Sciences and pharmaceutical industry continue to spearhead manufacturing growth in Telangana, attracting ₹11,846 crore investments and generating employment opportunities for over 70,000 people in last four years, according to the Telangana Social Economic Outlook 2021.

In 2019-20, pharmaceutical exports from the State were valued at ₹16,705 crore, the document tabled in the Assembly on Thursday said. According to the Social Economic Outlook, the State’s pharmaceutical sector made significant contributions to the COVID-19 response. It manufactured and supplied life-saving drugs in bulk quantities, including anti-viral drugs Remdesivir and Favipiravir that were used to treat COVID-19 patients. One of the first RT-PCR test kits approved by the Indian Council of Medical Research was from Hyderabad and since then, a number of companies have developed additional RT-PCR kits, rapid test kits, viral transport mediums, reagents and technology-based diagnostics solutions.