All these formulation drugs will be prescription drugs and will be launched before the calendar year 2001, Sushil Suri, chairman and managing director, Morepen Laboratories told The Financial Express.

The company has already expanded its marketing strength to over 450 trained people for marketing the new drugs to be launched over the next few months.

In the Rs 200 crore gastroenterology segment, Morepen Laboratories is launching four new drugs in the antacid/antiflatulents, antispasmodics/antemetics and intestinal antiinfectives segment. The antacid drug, `Acifix' for instance will be launched in gel as well as tablet form.

The product will take on some of the established products available in the market.

"The launch of drugs in these therapeutic categories will help Morepen attain a distinct identity and to gain confidence of core subscribers. These new products are planned for niche market. The focus on formulation is a deliberate effort to capture a major share of the huge market that exists in these therapeutic segments," Mr Suri said.

"At Morepen, we are gradually moving away from the bulk drug segment, which currently accounts for close to 70 per cent of the company's turnover. Over the next two years, contribution from bulk drugs is expected to come down to mere 15 per cent.

Majority of the turnover will be from formulations, over the counter (OTC) products, generic market and diagnostics", he added.

In the cardiovascular and respiratory agents segment, the company has plans to launch atleast eight new drugs each, the domestic market for which is over Rs 300 crore.

In the dermatological and Neuropsychiatrics segment, the company plans to launch at least five new drugs.

After tying up with Diamed AG, the leader in blood serology, the company is also looking to finalise the overseas marketing arrangement with a US company for its generic products zafirlukast (anti-asthmatic), atorvastatin (a cholesterol lowering agent) and fexofenadine (an anti-allergic). The commercial production for these generic products is expected to begin in the first quarter of next financial year.

Morepen has already tied up with atleast five pharma MNCs in Europe and four in the US for contract manufacturing of the $ 3 billion anti-allergic drug, Loratadine. Loratadine goes off patent in December 2002 in the US and in June 2001 in Europe.