Joe C Mathew &Amp; P B Jayakumar In New Delhi

Stories by Joe C Mathew &Amp; P B Jayakumar In New Delhi

Hospital chains eye robust growth

Hospital chains eye robust growth

Rediff.com   18 Mar 2009

The sector has expansion plans worth more than Rs 2,000 crore to increase their bed strength in response to robust demand. Fortis, which now manages 3,000 beds with a network of 26 hospitals, is planning to double capacity by 2012 with 40 hospitals. Apollo Hospitals, which has 7,500 beds in 43 hospitals in India and overseas, plans to add 2,000 beds in two years. Meanwhile, the 17-hospital Wockhardt chain will soon add hospitals at Kolkata, Mumbai and at Nasik in Maharashtra.

Domestic drug makers immune to slowdown

Domestic drug makers immune to slowdown

Rediff.com   13 Mar 2009

Domestic pharmaceutical market registered a value growth of 14.4 per cent in January and 9.9 per cent in the 12 months ended January 2009. The yearly turnover was Rs 34,487.17 crore. The growth of the domestic drug sector, which was just 6.8 per cent in November 2008, improved to 13.2 per cent in December and to 14.4 per cent this January.

RIL to pump out K-G gas in a month

RIL to pump out K-G gas in a month

Rediff.com   13 Mar 2009

RIL has been using gas from GAIL during the past three months to test-fire the 1,440-km east-west pipeline, India's longest, from Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh to Bharuch in Gujarat. Only 100 km of the pipeline remains to be test-fired. It will transport gas from the world's largest gas discovery at the Krishna-Godavari basin in the Bay of Bengal to Jamnagar in Gujarat, where it has set up the world's largest petroleum refinery.

Indian pharma companies bullish in the US

Indian pharma companies bullish in the US

Rediff.com   6 Mar 2009

Despite the ongoing trouble India's largest drug maker, Ranbaxy, is facing in the United States, domestic pharmaceutical companies are betting high on the world's largest drug market with added vigour.

Shareholders of Zenotech move HC on Daiichi offer

Shareholders of Zenotech move HC on Daiichi offer

Rediff.com   28 Feb 2009

The shareholders want Daiichi to offer the same price (Rs 160) that was offered by Ranbaxy while acquiring a 45 per cent stake in Zenotech a year ago. Daiichi has to make an open offer as it has indirectly become the major shareholder of Zenotech by virtue of the Ranbaxy acquisition.

Ranbaxy forged data, says US drug regulator

Ranbaxy forged data, says US drug regulator

Rediff.com   26 Feb 2009

India's largest drug manufacturer, Ranbaxy Laboratories, had falsified data and test results of medicines manufactured at its Himachal Pradesh facility to obtain marketing approval in the United States, says the US Food and Drug Administration.

Unitech shelves 2 IT parks

Unitech shelves 2 IT parks

Rediff.com   19 Feb 2009

At least 38 per cent, or 8.3 million square feet, of its projected commercial space of 21.4 million square feet in its six parks will thus remain indefinitely on hold. The rentals from all these parks were expected to generate revenues for its AIM-listed associate Unitech Corporate Park, which has invested pound 317 million to acquire majority stakes in all the six seed projects in return of leasing rights.

GSK Pharma scouts for domestic buys

GSK Pharma scouts for domestic buys

Rediff.com   19 Feb 2009

"We have a cash balance of close to Rs 1,500 crore. A majority of this balance can be used for acquisitions as our annual working capital requirement is only Rs 25-30 crore. I will not rule out a buyout of companies to expand our domestic business," said Mernosh Kapadia, senior executive director, GSK India. It is speculated that GlaxoSmithKline Plc is in talks to acquire leading Indian drug major Piramal Healthcare, in a deal valued over $1.5 billion.

Global drug majors slow R&D offshoring to India

Global drug majors slow R&D offshoring to India

Rediff.com   12 Feb 2009

New drug discovery and contract research have taken a back seat as global drug majors have slowed down their research and development offshoring to India.

Taro faces ban on products in US market

Taro faces ban on products in US market

Rediff.com   11 Feb 2009

If Taro fails to address the issues raised by the US Food and Drug Administration, it may face ban on many of its products in the US market, made from the facility at Ontorio, Canada. If Taro fails to address the issues raised by the US Food and Drug Administration, it may face ban on many of its products in the US market, made from the facility at Ontorio, Canada. If Taro fails to address the issues raised by the US FDA, it may face ban on many of its products.

Tata Motors vendors deny payment issues

Tata Motors vendors deny payment issues

Rediff.com   6 Feb 2009

Surinder Kapur, president of the company's 'vendor council,' said it has about a dozen representatives from Tata Motors and an equal number from the vendors. "We supply for about 4-5 per cent of our revenues to Tata Motors and we do not have payment issues," he said. Lumax, which derives about 15 per cent of its turnover by supplying almost half of the lighting solutions for Tata Motors worth about Rs 60 crore a year, said they had not experienced any payment issues.

Wockhardt takes a hit on expansion

Wockhardt takes a hit on expansion

Rediff.com   2 Feb 2009

Wockhardt, the Mumbai-based leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology company that is struggling to repay its nearly Rs 900-crore

DLF may walk out of Delhi convention project

DLF may walk out of Delhi convention project

Rediff.com   31 Jan 2009

The move comes 18 months after the cash-strapped developer was allotted 35 acres by the Delhi Development Authority to build and maintain an international convention & exhibition centre, hotels and allied commercial facilities. The cost of the project is estimated at Rs 6,000 crore (Rs 60 billion) and was expected to be completed in three years.

Merck eyes Indian drug biggie, brands

Merck eyes Indian drug biggie, brands

Rediff.com   30 Jan 2009

Germany-based Merck KGaA, the world's oldest multinational pharmaceutical company, is eyeing to acquire a prominent Indian pharmaceutical company and established drug brands.

Pfizer-Wyeth may climb to No 2 spot

Pfizer-Wyeth may climb to No 2 spot

Rediff.com   28 Jan 2009

The merger of Pfizer and Wyeth is expected to create the second-biggest drug maker among multinational companies in India. The world's largest drug maker Pfizer yesterday announced a $68-billion acquisition of US-based Wyeth.

R-Power fast-tracks Dadri project

R-Power fast-tracks Dadri project

Rediff.com   19 Jan 2009

The 7,480 MW project will be the largest gas-fired power project at a single location in the world and will cost about Rs 20,000-25,000 crore (Rs 200-250 billion). Mukesh Ambani-controlled RIL for the supply of gas from the Krishna Godavari basin, where RIL is developing the largest gas reserves in the world. The matter is currently under litigation in the Bombay HC and a decision is expected soon.

Punj Lloyd-Thorium JV to pump in $1 bn

Punj Lloyd-Thorium JV to pump in $1 bn

Rediff.com   19 Jan 2009

"We are looking at an investment of several million dollars or up to a billion in the coming years, depending on how India's government allows commercialisation of the nuclear power sector," said Dennis Hays, vice-president of Thorium Power. The investments and areas of operation can be in various technologies, manpower training, fuel processing, and operation & maintenance of power plants in the nuclear sector, he added.

Affordable homes are back

Affordable homes are back

Rediff.com   16 Jan 2009

Ever since the government announced that state-owned banks will provide home loans up to Rs 20 lakhs (Rs 2 million) at not more than 9.25 per cent for the first five years, real estate developers have started working their prices around the Rs 20-lakhz (Rs 2-million) figure. Dozens of real estate developers have announced homes at below Rs 25 lakhs (Rs 2.5 million) in the National Capital Region of Delhi.

Sasan mega project closure in a few weeks

Sasan mega project closure in a few weeks

Rediff.com   13 Jan 2009

Anil Ambani-promoted Reliance Power is likely to announce the financial closure of its 3,960-Mw Sasan ultra mega power project (UMPP) in a few weeks.

Glaxo's strategy may limit gains for Indian firms

Glaxo's strategy may limit gains for Indian firms

Rediff.com   5 Jan 2009

Dr Reddy's has reached an out-of-court settlement to launch the Glaxo-patented Imitrex, a migraine drug that had annual sales of $878 million as of March 31, 2006, in the US. Experts estimate Dr Reddy's may not get more than $8-$15 million sales in 2009 since majority of sales revenue has to be given to GSK, for allowing the launch the authorised generic version.