GSK India, which has a turnover of Rs 1,751 crore (Rs 17.51 billion) and launched a cervical cancer drug, Cervarix, and breast cancer drug, Tykerb, last year, plans to launch Promacta, the first oral medication to increase platelet production for people with serious blood disorder, from its parent stable during the current year. Promacta is a relatively new drug, for which approval was given by the US Food and Drug Administration in November last year.
The rupee's appreciation of 6.4 per cent against the dollar and 12 per cent against the euro is likely to hurt the first-quarter performance of the pharmaceutical sector, indicate a results' preview by broking houses.
The bumper rise is due to the rising demand for the drug and patients' gradual shift towards its higher dosage.
The British pharma and consumer products maker had announced the open offer in November last year to raise its stake in its subsidiary to 75 per cent from 43.16 per cent at present.
Following its tie-up with Ranbaxy, pharma major GlaxoSmithKline said on Friday it was open to partnership with other Indian companies in the field of drug discovery and development, but it must be allowed to import molecules for research.
The Singapore subsidiary of the UK-based GlaxoSmithKline plans to buy 24.33 per cent stake or 2.06 crore equity shares in GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Ltd through an open offer.
The Indian pharmaceutical market (IPM) grew 6.8 per cent to touch a turnover of ~1.93 trillion in calendar year 2023, despite volumes going down marginally by 0.9 per cent. This indicates the price increase has been the major growth driver. Growth in the moving annual turnover (the previous 12 months' turnover) in December was 5.1 per cent and that in new product introduction 2.6 per cent, while volumes dipped 0.9 per cent, leading to an overall growth rate of 6.8 per cent, according to the data from market research firm Pharmatrac.
The Delhi High Court on Friday stayed the ban on some fixed dose combination (FDC) drugs of Glaxo SmithKline, Wockhardt and Laboratories Griffon but said action against their sale could be taken in the absence of valid sale and marketing licence.
In a bid to speed up the litigation process, the leading home-grown pharma company Dr Reddy's Laboratories has withdrawn its challenge against GlaxoSmithKline's "compound" patent for anti-nausea drug Zofran.
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.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the proposal of GlaxoSmithKline Pte Limited, Singapore for acquisition of 24.33 per cent shares in existing Indian subsidiary company of GSK Group.
Pharma major Ranbaxy Laboratories on Thursday said it has scored a legal victory with a United States court ruling that its Cefuroxime Exetil product does not infringe upon the patent rights of GlaxoSmithKline.
Experts say despite it being a global deal, the transaction will have to undergo CCI scrutiny because of the scale of operations.
Pharma major GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Ltd has sold its Worli plot for Rs 107.6 crore (Rs 1.08 billion) to I-Ven Realty Ltd, a joint venture between ICICI Venture Funds Management Company Ltd and Oberoi Constructions.
Investors must carefully watch the developments on the MNC pipeline.
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Pharma companies gear up for the 'new normal' as they train and align their sales forces for a paradigm shift. GSK leads the charge with staggered return-to-work, others plans yoga sessions and health care webinars for salesperson's family.
The FIPB, headed by Department of Economic Affairs Secretary Arvind Mayaram, discussed 30 foreign direct investment proposals, including 10 from pharma sector.
Even as the Supreme Court had recently dismissed the industry's plea against prices fixed by the regulator and its timely implementation, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority has asked companies to pay the overcharged dues with 15 per cent interest.
"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.
Aurobindo Pharma, Cadila Healthcare and Serum Institute are readying their vaccine candidates.
The National Stock Exchange on Wednesday removed Satyam from its benchmark index Nifty and the IT firm will be replaced by Reliance Capital with effect from January 12.
Foreign multinational drug makers, barring GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals, continue to have a miniscule presence in the domestic market even after the product patent regime came into being.
Companies which have been dropped from the list include Tata Motors, Hindustan Unilever, MRF, Glaxo SmithKline Consumer Healthcare, Pfizer, Dr Reddy's Labs, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, HDFC and Kotak Mahindra Bank
Stocks and sectors impacted most by GST.
Besides Novartis, the other companies are Roche, J&J, Glaxo and Astrazeneca.
Having moved into original research, they have attracted overseas professionals looking to come back, some nudged by MNCs' narrowing research.
Market should rebound in the next few days
The Delhi high court had earlier allowed Indian pharma major Wockhardt to sell its Ace Proxyvon tablets, which is a mixture of three salts -- aceclofenac, paracetamol and rabeprazol -- a combination that is banned.
Launches cloud-based version of solution to target mid-size clients in life sciences.
Glenmark Generics Inc has settled the litigation pending between the company and GSK over patent actions concerning atovaquone and proguanil hydrochloride 250mg/100mg tablets, the generic version of GSK's Malarone tablets, Glenmark Pharma said.
