Bayer’s disease resistant hybrid rice enters market

Bayer BioScience Pvt. Ltd. announced the launch of Arize Dhani, a disease-resistant hybrid variety of rice in India. This hybrid variety offers a holistic solution to BLB, a severe rice disease that causes significant annual produce loss of about 20-60 %.

The company is introducing Arize Dhani in Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Assam, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh where BLB is a major problem.

Indian CROs going global

According to Mr. Utkarsh Palnitkar, partner and industry leader, health sciences practice, Ernst & Young India, Indian CROs have started transforming their business models by focusing on higher value-added services. Indian CROs cater to both multinational pharmaceutical companies as well as their Indian counterparts. By going global, these companies can get an extended market reach and access to talent.

Big leap in R&D

Most of the Indian biotech companies are shifting focus from generics to new drug discovery research and taking big leap in R&D. Sun Pharma, Nicholas Piramal and Ranbaxy are a few such names that have spun off their R&D units into separate entities and set the trend for other companies. On the other hand, Hyderabad based Dr Reddy's Laboratories recognized this need as early as in 2005.

Claris to venture into biogenerics

After establishing its strong hold in the hospital critical care market, Claris Lifesciences is now heading towards gaining equal space in the field of biotechnology. With a CAGR of 40 % for the last five years, Claris now plans to foray into the biotechnology arena. Initiated in 2007, Claris Biosciences is an extension of the company's overall strategy to target niche markets like biotech.

Hi-tech seed factories going great heights

India is the largest cotton growing country in the world and has the highest percentage of year-on-year growth compared to any other Bt cotton-growing country. The Bt cotton industry has seen a tremendous growth since 2002 when it started with 54,000 farmers growing approximately 50,000 hectares of officially approved Bt cotton hybrids. By 2007, the area has increased to 6.2 million hectares in 2007. Besides, the number of Bt cotton hybrids approved for planting has also increased from four in 2002 to 131 in 2007.

The reason for the tremendous success of Bt cotton is mainly due to the efforts taken by the seed companies. These companies are successful because they are in the vicinity of their customers and they believe in using technology in an appropriate and responsible way. Moreover, these companies are facilitated with World-class infrastructure, structured-approach, teams who believe in results and are committed, and all of them are focused on quality.

BioMedical Asia 2008

BioMedical Asia 2008, Singapore's annual biomecal event’s latest edition took place from 14 to 17 April and saw the participation of over 1,000 business and scientific leaders from Asia and around the world. There were over 600 delegates, including over 30 major venture capitalists to attend the event.

The next edition of BioMedical Asia is scheduled from March 16-19, 2009 at Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Center.

Bangalore Bio 2008

The eighth edition of Bangalore Bio 2008, the three-day annual event was successfully concluded on April 26, 2008. The event saw the participation of over 85 international and national speakers in the presence of over 700 delegates from the industry, R&D, policy makers and academia, and 150 leading global and Indian exhibitors.

The event also attracted a large gathering of international biotech fraternity and more than 100 delegates from 14 countries like the US, Australia, France, UK, Germany, Italy, Holland, Japan, and Malaysia.

Highlights of the event included over 500 one-to-one business meetings for potential collaborations, partnerships and alliances amongst other things.

 

Zydus Cadila acquires Spain’s Laboratories Combix
31 May 2008

Drug maker Zydus Cadila announced its venture into Spain’s pharmaceutical market, the fifth largest market in the world, through the acquisition of Laboratories Combix. This acquisition would facilitate Zydus to enter into the generics market that is estimated at US $1.7 billion and is growing at a rate of 21.5%.

It is to be noted that Zydus has already forayed into French generics market in 2003 and the entry into Spain thereby is an important part of its European strategy.

US FDA approves new drugs in the US markets
30 May 2008

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved Glenmark Pharmaceutical’s metformin hydrochloride tablets in multiple strengths to cure diabetes. Besides, the agency also approved benazepril hydrochloride tablets of Aurobindo Pharma Ltd. to treat high blood pressure.

Jubilant Organosys successfully acquires Canadian firm
29 May 2008

Jubilant Organosys completed the acquisition of Canada-based Draxis Speciality Pharmaceuticals Inc for US $ 253 million. The Company informed this to the Bombay Stock Exchange, and stated that this acquisition marked its entry into the radio-pharmaceutical market.

Drug companies warns to stop production
27 May 2008

Indian Drug Manufacturer’s Association (IDMA), which represents the interests of over 650 drug makers, have asked the government to immediately increase the prices of 33 bulk drugs. According to the association, if the prices are not increased the companies will have to stop manufacturing several medicines within a month or two. These companies are saying that they are already incurring losses at the current prices due to increased cost of bulk drugs and the depreciation of the rupee against dollar.

Cadila to market benazepril tablets in US
26 May 2008

Drug maker Cadila Healthcare Ltd said that its Zydus Cadila unit has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to sell benazepril tablets use to treat high blood pressure in multiple strengths in the country.

Pharma industry to work on centralised uniform system set by DGCI
23 May 2008

To smoothen the work of the fast growing Indian pharma industry and to position it better globally, Drugs Controller General of India has initiated a centralised uniform system for various processes of the industry. It is seen that 60 % of the delays is generally faced in getting test licence, export NOC and in getting approval for conducting clinical trials. The government plans to address these issues by setting up an e-governance system by digitalising offices and having interactive portals.

Ranbaxy finalised two deals with group companies
22 May 2008

Ranbaxy Laboratories have struck two deals with group companies including selling of some land and buildings for US $ 22.5 million to a group company and picking up 24.91% stake in Shimal Laboratories, another family company, for US $ 23.35 million.

Dabur’s cancer drug gets FDA nod
20 May 2008

According to information available on USFDA's website, domestic pharmaceutical company Dabur Oncology Plc has received the approval from US Food and Drug Administrator (USFDA) to sell 'Mitoxantrone Hydrochloride', an injectable used in the treatment of prostate cancer.

FDC drugs issue may soon see an end
17 May 2008

Drug companies and the government have formed separate technical committees to jointly decide and solve the issue of Fixed Dose Combination (FDC) drugs. These committees through a product by product examination of each FDC medicine will check their efficacy and safety and decide as to which of the 294 combination drugs can be phased out and how many can remain in the market.

Strict laws to deal with fake drug menace: Govt
16 May 2008

According to new guidelines being framed by the Union Health Ministry, manufacturing and dealing in counterfeit drugs could invite life term punishment and a maximum fine of US $ 25000 in future. These finalised guidelines have been formulated as part of amendments to the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and would be sent to the Law Ministry for approval after which they would be presented in the Parliament for approval during the monsoon session.

USFDA approves Ranbaxy’s muscle relaxing tabs in US
15 May 2008

Ranbaxy has received the US Food and Drug Administration's (USFDA) approval for selling cyclobenzaprine hydrochloride tablets used as muscle relaxant in different strengths of 5mg, 7.5 mg and 10 mg in the US markets.

Cadila to market four drugs in US
15 May 2008

Zydus Cadila has received approval from the US FDA to market four products, including escitalopram oxalate tablets and anastrazole tablets in the country. Earlier, the regulator had already approved the sale of pravastatin sodium tablets and tentatively approved losartan potassium-hydrochlorthiazide tablets.


Pharma companies indulge in M&A activities
15 May 2008

The pharma sector is undergoing huge growth in M&A activities including the acquisition of six overseas companies by Indian drug firms last month. There has been a surge in both the number and size of the total deals in the pharma sector as compared to last year. According to the figures compiled by Grant Thornton, India, during Jan-April 2007, 15 deals (domestic and overseas) with total valuation of US $256 million were announced, whereas this year, there have been over 20 deals with a total announced valuation of US $660 million during the same period.

Lupin eyeing acquisitions in the US
14 May 2008

Drugmaker Lupin Ltd is looking for acquisitions in the United States and in emerging markets to expand its overseas operations. Last year, Lupin bought a stake in a Japanese generic drug maker to boost its presence in the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Latin America through acquisitions of drug formulation companies. Lupin posted a net profit of US $23 million for the fiscal fourth quarter ended March.

Government to give concessions on pharma policies
14 May 2008

Drug makers may now be able to keep more margins on essential medicines than what the Government had originally proposed in the draft pharmaceutical policy. As per the original pricing policy, the prices of essential drugs are lowered by up to 64% of current retail prices. This decision of the Indian Government met with strong opposition from some members of a ministerial panel reviewing the policy. So, in a bid to get other sections of the Government to support the new pharma policy, which is being seen as extending government control over the market, the Chemicals Ministry is likely to give some concessions to drug makers.


Aurobindo Pharma gets approval for 9 products
12 May 2008

Aurobindo Pharma Ltd got approval from Medicines Control Council (MCC) to manufacture and market nine products in South Africa.

Merck received 2 patents approved from IPO
12 May 2008

US-based company Merck has received patent approval from the Indian Patent Office for two of its upcoming drugs for dyslipidemia and obesity. Both these drugs are in final stages of trial and are yet to receive the Drug Controller General of India’s (DCGI) approval.

With these patents, Merck aims at minimum 4% market share in India and thereby want to emerge as one the top five players in the country by 2015.

HC’s comment on pricing policies of drug mkt may cure its ills
10 May 2008

According to experts, the recent comment of Delhi High Court stating that access to cheap drugs is a fundamental right of everyone will have a major impact on the way the government enforces laws governing intellectual property rights and the pricing freedom of drug companies.

The Commerce Department and the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers as well as the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) think highly of this observation given by the law of the land.

Dr Reddy's acquires BASF's pharma contract
1 May 2008

Dr Reddy’s Laboratories (DRL) acquires US-based BASF’s pharmaceutical contract business and its manufacturing facility.

The businesses that BASF deals in includes contract manufacturing of generic prescription and over-the-counter products for branded and generic companies in the United States.

Through this acquisition, DRL will get hold of the relevant businesses, customer contracts, trademarks, as well as the manufacturing facility and other assets of BASF in Louisiana.

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