DCA stops illegal manufacture of drugs at Aspen Biopharma, exposes quack in Warangal

Hyderabad: Continuing the series of raids on companies manufacturing and selling drugs illegally, the Drugs Control Administration, Telangana, seized drugs worth Rs 5.50 lakhs, being illegally manufactured by Aspen Biopharma Labs Pvt Ltd in Shameerpet. The firm is said to have manufactured APIs against a previous order in which it was asked to cease all production.

In a separate event, DCA officials raided a quack’s clinic and seized drugs stocked for sale at Khila Warangal Village, Warangal District.

Rs 5.50 lakhs worth of drugs seizure at Aspen Biopharma

Elaborating on the output of the two raids, the DCA officials of the Shameerpet Zone said that they raided Aspen Biopharma Labs at Biotech Park, Plot No 10, Phase-II, Lalgadi-Malakpet Village, Shameerpet Mandal, Medchal-Malkajgiri District on Monday.

The facility belonged to Kadari Sateesh Reddy, the prime accused in the spurious anti-cancer drugs case detected at Machabollaram in December 2023, and also the key conspirator in the illicit manufacturing of APIs at Annarugudem Village, Tallada Mandal, Khammam District, also detected in December 2023.

During the raid, DCA officials seized two bulk drugs: 110 kg of Ciprofloxacin Hydrochloride and 8.4 kg of Gatifloxacin Hydrochloride for manufacturing them during the Stop Production Order period.

Aspen Biopharma Labs was issued a Stop Production Order in March 2023 by the DCA due to various non-conformities with respect to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and other provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, as reported during inspection.

The firm was not permitted to carry out any manufacturing activity regarding drugs thereafter. However, Aspen Biopharma continued manufacturing the drugs. Manufacturing of drugs during the ‘Stop Production Order’ period is punishable under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act with imprisonment for up to five years.

Fake doctor in Warangal

On credible information, DCA officials raided the premises of a quack Madhavaraju Birudaraju on Monday in Khila Warangal Village, Warangal District. Madhavaraju was practising medicine without proper qualification, calling himself as a Rural Medical Practitioner at his ‘clinic’.

During the raid, DCA officials detected huge stocks of medicines at the premises without any drug license. Around 48 varieties of medicines, including antibiotics, analgesics, cough syrups, anti-ulcer drugs, antihypertensives, IV fluids, etc., were found stocked at the premises. DCA officials seized the stock, worth a total of Rs 52,000 during the raid.

DCA officials detected several higher-generation ‘antibiotics’ at the clinic during the raid. Indiscriminate sale of antibiotics, by an unqualified person may have disastrous consequences on the health of the public, including the emergence of ‘Antimicrobial Resistance’.

DCA officers took samples for analysis and further investigation will be carried out.

Wholesalers/Dealers who supply medicines to unqualified persons, who are stocking and selling drugs without a drug license, are also punishable under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, and stringent action shall be taken against such retailers. Wholesalers/Dealers should mandatorily ensure that the recipient entities hold a valid drug license before supplying medicines to them.

Public advisory

The public may report any complaints regarding illegal activities concerning medicines through the Drugs Control Administration, Telangana toll-free number 1800-599-6969, operational from 10:30 am to 5 pm on all working days.