A newly built, state-of-the-art Plant for extraction, formulation, packaging of medicinal plant based phytopharmaceutical drugs under internationally accepted GMP guidelines was inaugurated by the Vice President, CSIR and Union Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. Harsh Vardhan and Minister of State for DoNER (Independent Charge), Dr Jitendra Singh, PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, DoAE and Department of Space,at CSIR-IIIM, in Jammu on 20th October, 2016. This is first such national Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMP) Plant facility established in the public sector in India. The facility has been issued a manufacturing license by Drug & Food Control Organization, Jammu & Kashmir. The CGMP facility would provide a high level world-class infrastructure for the manufacture of botanical/phytopharmaceutical in a way to ensure their safety, efficacy and quality for global market.
The establishment of this facility at CSIR-IIIM will also help all CSIR Institutes engaged in drug discovery & development in converting their natural product leads to pre-clinical and clinical development for marketing approvals.It will also provide opportunity to new entrepreneurs/SMEs engaged in manufacture of standardized extracts and botanical drug formulations, natural products etc. to evaluate their research leads and eventually graduate as entrepreneurs so that more number of industries can be setup and employment can be generated.This facility will also be used as the Technology Business Incubator (TBI), for which Department of Science and Technology has already approved a project. The experience, expertise and infrastructure like state-of-the-art QC/QA division coupled with GLP standard Animal House available with IIIM are suitable to extend incubation ecosystem to entrepreneurs/SMEs by providing wide range of services available in the Institute as an overall holistic research and development support, mentorship and hand holding in all spheres of phytopharmaceutical product development cycle. The facilities will also be used in conducting certified training programs for students, entrepreneurs, etc.