Novo Nordisk India would be promoting its products in all the Saarc countries except Pakistan where Novo Nordisk Denmark has already been marketing anti-diabetic drugs. Compared to Sri Lanka, Bangladesh with a heavy population offers more business potential to the company. Total sale in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, where the group has identified local partners for marketing its products, is likely to grow at 20 to 30 per cent during the current fiscal.

``We are responsible for developing these markets with huge investments in the Saarc region. However, currently products will be imported from Denmark. At a later stage, we would be directly marketing the products in these region, making India the hub,'' Novo Nordisk Pharma India Ltdmanaging director Anil Kapur said.

During the next 18 months, the Bangalore-based company would be pumping in about Rs 5 to 6 crore for developing markets in India. The company has already formed the Novo Nordisk Education Foundation which undertakes diabetes awareness programmes.

Having recorded a turnover of Rs 70 crore from its domestic operations, the company would be unveiling its disposable insulin pen in 20 cities in India. However, Novo is not planning to make the product available over the counter (OTC). ``It would only be available through a medical practitioner's prescription,'' he added. The new product would be promoted by its own 47 medical representatives in the country, in addition to 160 representatives of Knoll Pharmaceuticals Ltd which manufactures these products on behalf of Novo. Novo has also a strategic alliance with the Torrent group for manufacturing the products.

Novo Nordisk Pharma has also lined up a new product which would hit the domestic market next year. NamedRepaglanide, it would be an oral anti-diabetic drug to be launched for the first time in the country. ``The trials would be completed by June this year and we are expecting an additional revenue of Rs 4 crore from sales of this product in the first year,'' he added. Novo Nordisk would be offering diabetes clinical electronic management system (DCEMS) to top medical professionals. For the purpose, the company has signed up with the Chennai-based CG Mersk. The system, which is available in Chennai, would help prepare a database on patients.

Kapur said Novo Nordisk is launching a directory on medical professionals and leading hospitals available with the treatment. The company, which had introduced a website, would also offer online nutrition programmes. These programmes are part of the company's education foundation. The foundation is a non-profit trust with a mission to enhance healthcare by facilitating awareness and education. It proposes to become a resource centre for information on diabetes and otherendocrine diseases and to bridge the information and knowledge gap to improve healthcare delivery, he said.