Allergan now operates in the country via a joint venture with the Rs 535-crore Nicholas Piramal, part of the Ajay Piramal group. It manufactures and markets a range of prescription and non-prescription products to treat a wide variety of ophthalmic disorders, including glaucoma, ocular inflammation, infection and dry eye. Key brands covered under the alliance include Quinobact, Bleph, Chromozil and Tearplus.

Industry sources say that Allergan is working towards establishing contract marketing alliances for non eye-care products even as it scouts for brand acquisitions in the specialty eye-care segment.

The American multinational is said to have shown interest in certainspecialty eye-care products of the Baroda-based Torrent group, Ipca and Rhone-Poulenc, given that the eye-care range's contribution to the turnover of these companies is negligible. Top Allergan officials were, however, unavailable for comment.

On non eye-care products, Allergan's existing arrangement with Systopic has perhaps fallen short of its expectations and a fresh alliance may help improve things, sources said.

Allergan's non eye-care thrust in the country comes after it recently established a new global biotech entity, Allergan Specialty Therapeutics for undertaking pharmaceutical research based on the company's retinoid and neuropeotective technologies.

Recently, it tied up a multi-year research and development collaboration with Warner Lambert to identify, develop and commercialise certain compounds for the treatment of metabolic diseases including adult onset diabetes, insulin resistant syndromes and dyslipidemias. Warner Lambert holds a 40 per cent stake in Parke-Davis (India).