Orchid Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd recently played host to president A P J Abdul Kalam during his visit to the pharmaceutical company''s formulations manufacturing complex at t Irungattukottai in Tamil Nadu.

In his address to the scientists in the company Dr Kalam talked about on the convergence of technologies such as pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, IT and the emerging nanotechnology.

He encouraged the scientists to discover and develop new drugs from the molecule stage.

"We are working on several lead molecules in select therapeutic areas of drug discovery and our goal is to convert them into drugs going forward," Raghavendra Rao, managing director, Orchid Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals told the president.

"As a first generation enterprise we are proud to have build global competencies in pharmaceutical manufacturing and research in a short span of time."

Dr Kalam complimented the management on the company''s leadership in the global antibiotics space and expressed his confidence that given its scientific expertise, the company would be a key contributor to the nation''s pharmaceutical development.

He visited the company''s new, state-of-the-art dosage form facility for manufacturing betalactam antibiotic formulations. The facility is unique for its technological sophistication and automation and its capability to undertake in-situ lyophilisation of dry powder vials.