Why Did Sun Pharma Experience a Dip Following USFDA's OAI Status on Its Gujarat Facility?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Sun Pharma's Baska facility received an OAI classification from the USFDA.
- The company's shares dropped nearly 3% following this news.
- Sun Pharma continues to supply approved products from the facility.
- The company is working to resolve the regulatory issues.
- Sun Pharma shares have shown varied performance over recent months.
Mumbai, Dec 18 (NationPress) Shares of Sun Pharmaceutical Industries took a significant hit on Thursday after the US drug regulator raised concerns regarding one of the company's manufacturing sites located in Gujarat. The stock plummeted nearly 3 percent to Rs 1,738 per share, marking a one-month low, after the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) designated Sun Pharma's Baska facility in Gujarat as “official action indicated” (OAI) following an inspection.
An OAI classification signifies that the regulator has identified problems during its inspection and may pursue regulatory or administrative measures.
The USFDA noted that this designation could result in delays or the withholding of approvals for any pending product applications or supplements associated with the affected facility until the company rectifies the issues regarding manufacturing compliance.
The inspection of the Baska plant occurred between September 8 and September 19, as stated by Sun Pharma in a filing to stock exchanges.
At the end of the trading day, Sun Pharma shares were the largest decliner on the Sensex, closing at Rs 1746, down by Rs 49.10 or 2.74 percent.
The company reassured stakeholders that it continues to produce and supply previously approved products from the Baska facility to the US market.
Sun Pharma indicated that it is actively working to address the identified issues and strives to achieve full compliance with USFDA standards.
“We would like to inform that the US FDA conducted an inspection at our Baska facility from September 8 to September 19,” the company stated in its filing.
“The US FDA has subsequently classified the inspection status of this facility as Official Action Indicated (OAI),” they added.
In terms of market performance, Sun Pharma shares have declined by over 3.25 percent in the last five trading sessions and are down around 0.73 percent in the past month.
However, the stock has increased by nearly 6 percent over the last six months. On a year-to-date basis, the shares have decreased by more than 7.6 percent.