Cipla -The indian pharma major

Cipla is born
In 1935, he set up The Chemical, Industrial & Pharmaceutical Laboratories, which came to be popularly known as Cipla. He gave the company all his patent and proprietary formulas for several drugs and medicines, without charging any royalty. On August 17, 1935, Cipla was registered as a public limited company with an authorised capital of Rs 6 lakhs.
The search for suitable premises ended at 289, Bellasis Road (the present corporate office) where a small bungalow with a few rooms was taken on lease for 20 years for Rs 350 a month.
Cipla was officially opened on September 22, 1937 when the first products were ready for the market. The Sunday Standard wrote: "The birth of Cipla which was launched into the world by Dr K A Hamied will be a red letter day in the annals of Bombay Industries. The first city in India can now boast of a concern, which will supersede all existing firms in the magnitude of its operations. India has lagged behind in the march of science but she is now awakening from her lethargy. The new company has mapped out an ambitious programme and with intelligent direction and skillful production bids fair to establish a great reputation in the East. "

Milestones
1935
Dr K A Hamied sets up "The Chemical, Industrial and Pharmaceutical Laboratories Ltd." in a rented bungalow, at Bombay Central.

1941
As the Second World War cuts off drug supplies, the company starts producing fine chemicals, dedicating all its facilities for the war effort.

1952
Sets up first research division for attaining self-sufficiency in technological development.

1960
Starts operations at second plant at Vikhroli, Mumbai, producing fine chemicals with special emphasis on natural products.

1968
Cipla manufactures ampicillin for the first time in the country.

1972
Starts Agricultural Research Division at Bangalore, for scientific cultivation of medicinal plants.

1976
Cipla launches medicinal aerosols for asthma.

1980
Wins Chemexcil Award for Excellence for exports.

1982
Fourth factory begins operations at Patalganga, Maharashtra.

1984
Develops anti-cancer drugs, vinblastine and vincristine in collaboration with the National Chemical Laboratory, Pune. Wins Sir P C Ray Award for developing inhouse technology for indigenous manufacture of a number of basic drugs.

1985
US FDA approves Cipla's bulk drug manufacturing facilities.

1988
Cipla wins National Award for Successful Commercialisation of Publicly Funded R&D.

1991
Lauches etoposide, a breakthrough in cancer chemotherapy, in association with Indian Institute of Chemical Technology.
The company pioneers the manufacture of the antiretroviral drug, zidovudine, in technological collaboration with Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad.

1994
Cipla's fifth factory begins commercial production at Kurkumbh, Maharashtra.

1997
Launches transparent Rotahaler, the world's first such dry powder inhaler device now patented by Cipla in India and abroad. The palliative cancer care centre set up by the Cipla Foundation, begins offering free services at Warje, near Pune.

1998
Launches lamivudine, becoming one of the few companies in the world to offer all three component drugs of retroviral combination therapy (zidovudine and stavudine already launched).

1999
Launches Nevirapine, antiretroviral drug, used to prevent the transmission of AIDS from mother to child.

2000
Cipla became the first company, outside the USA and Europe to launch CFC-free inhalers – ten years before the deadline to phase out use of CFC in medicinal products.

2002
Four state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities set up in Goa in a record time of less than twelve months.

2003
Launches TIOVA (Tiotropium bromide), a novel inhaled, long-acting anticholinergic bronchodilator that is employed as a once-daily maintenance treatment for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Commissioned second phase of manufacturing operations at Goa.

2005
Set-up state-of-the-art facility for manufacture of formulations at Baddi, Himachal Pradesh.

2007
Set-up state-of-the-art facility for manufacture of formulations at Sikkim.