Mumbai – Cipla, the Indian pharmaceutical giant, witnessed a significant downturn of 7.6% on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) as serious quality control issues came to light. The decline followed an inspection that revealed data integrity problems and microbial contamination at Cipla’s Pithampur facility, leading to product complaints.
In response to these revelations, HSBC adjusted Cipla’s share price target to ₹1,425 from ₹1,440 while maintaining a “buy” rating. The financial services firm cited potential incremental costs that Cipla may face in addressing the issues identified during an inspection in February 2023. This inspection resulted in eight Form 483 observations, notifications issued by the FDA to inform companies of violations discovered during inspections.
Despite recent challenges, Cipla has seen a 9.6% year-to-date increase in its shares, slightly outperforming the Nifty’s gain of 8.8%. Analysts remain optimistic about the company’s prospects for significant sales growth in the United States market between FY24-26, driven by strong performance from key marketed products. However, successfully navigating the current regulatory hurdles will be crucial for maintaining this growth trajectory.