Bengal chemicals and
pharmaceuticals ltd(BCPL). which had forayed into anti-snake venom serum(ASVS)
manufacturing India nearly half a century ago. It is keen to resume production
of this lifesaving medication, shortage of which kills hundreds of people. ASV
is an anti-dote to the snake venom action and is free in government hospitals.
No records are available to pinpoint the exact year, but it is somewhere around
9020's. Its capacity was about one Lakh vials. The figures culled from several
reports shows snake bite morbidity is high in the Indian subcontinent with over
one million bites annually. Yet there are only a handful of Pharma companies
making this.
Snake bite death : West Bengal, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and
Uttar Pradesh reported 3252 deaths due to snake between 2013-15 and accounting
for the highest number in death. Till 2006-07, BCPL manufactured ASVS in East
Kolkata from its Maniktala unit. An erstwhile BCPL has return to profit and is
now awaiting government nod to resume production of ASVS at Maniktala unit.
This would need around rupees 30 crore capital expenditure and can generate a
rupees 30 crore turn over with 4 lakhs vials capacity. It adopts the equine plasma
method of making the ASVS which need horses.
Strength :It is a new method for saving life of
people from snake bites. It reduces the death rate caused by snake bite. It
generates high profit and turnover.
