VAV Lipids, India’s leading biopharmaceuticals and speciality ingredient manufacturer, has announced that its upgraded manufacturing facility can meet the rising demand for egg yolk lecithin (egg phospholipids), a key pharmaceutical ingredient. Egg phospholipids are used in formulating parenteral fat emulsions like anaesthesia drug propofol and total parenteral nutrition formulas.

VAV’s upgraded EU cGMP-certified manufacturing facility at Ratnagiri, India, can produce 6,000 kilograms (6 tonnes) of egg lecithin annually. This is about 7% of the estimated annual global demand of 85,000 kilograms (85 tonnes).

The development puts VAV and India on the global list of select suppliers for this high-grade ingredient.

Propofol is an intravenous medication used for inducing anaesthesia before surgery. Propofol formulations contain natural triglycerides like soybean oil and egg lecithin, a fatty substance from egg yolk. Both are crucial ingredients that enhance the biocompatibility of the medication. 

VAV’s high-grade phospholipids and lecithin are functional ingredients in developing novel drugs and biologics delivery systems (NDDS). Pharmaceutical companies use its high-quality lipids and lecithin to create multiple drug and biologics delivery projects. These include applications of lipids in developing vaccines, anaesthesia and formulations, cancer therapy based on liposomes, and novel drug delivery systems for treating several diseases. The products are also used in skincare, personal care and hair care products.