Indications are that Pfizer could evaluate the feasibility of introducing a combination of its discontinued anthelmintic brand, Combantrin and anti-fungal brand, Fumycin. This is besides the rumoured re-entry of its anti-diabetes drug, Diabinese, and the extension of the re-launch of its key broad-spectrum antibiotic brand, Vicon (earlier Zithromax) to other states.

Vice-president (corporate affairs) S Ramkrishna said, "It would be inappropriate to offer comments on specific product categories at this stage since we are not ruling out any promising products that may emerge. We are constantly looking at newer products or line extensions or newer presentations to augment our product profile."

Pfizer had earlier relaunched its cardiovascular brand Amlogard at a discount ofover 77 per cent of its original cost, by reworking its sourcing strategy and followed this up with the re-introduction of Zithromax as Vicon. Vicon had been relaunched in Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat at less than half its original price of around Rs 99 per tablet, in an attempt to bell copycats in the domestic market. Zithromax, which continues to be the most-prescribed "branded prescription antibiotic" in the US, registered global sales of $441 million (a jump of 44 per cent) in the first quarter.

Experts say that these initiatives indicate a distinct shift in Pfizer's marketing strategy that now recognises the need for competitive pricing in India to maintain volume growth. These efforts are expected to translate into a topline growth (compounded) of over 50 per cent over average industry rates of around 15 per cent, they add.

Industry watchers also indicate that Pfizer may actively consider co-marketing options in India and point to managing director Ian Young's recent statement that "someproducts will be obtained through collaboration with other parties". No official word on this could, however, be got.

Globally, Pfizer co-promotes brands like Aricept (for Alzheimer's), Lipitor (a cholesterol-lowering agent) and more recently Celebrex (for arthritis) launched in February with GD Searle, the company that developed the drug.

These initiatives, experts say, form part of the company's efforts to, over a period of time, change the product profile of Pfizer India to resemble that of the American multinational in other countries, though at significantly lower prices. Young had, at the company's annual general meeting said: "While our product profile will gradually change, our prices in India will remain low. This is because of the very intense competition which exists in virtually all therapeutic areas and which exerts very effective market-driven price control".