Ranbaxy enters domestic anti-AIDS segment

New Delhi, May 7

JOINING the bandwagon of anti-AIDS drug makers in the country, the over Rs 1000-crore Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd has introduced three anti-AIDS formulations in the domestic market, a top company official said here.

“We have introduced three formulations in the market and will add five more to our portfolio in July,” mR JM Khanna, president (research and development), Ranbaxy Laboratories said.

Ranbaxy, which will have a total of eight drugs in its portfolio of anti-AIDS formulations by July has priced them nearly five per cent lower than market leader Cipla’s version of drugs to garner a share of the Rs 120 crore market.

Its version of “Zidovudine” (Viro-Z), “lamividine” (Virolam), “Neuriepine” (Navipan) and combination of Lamividine and Zidovudine (Virocomb) are priced nearly five per cent lower than Cipla, according to sources.

While a 10-tablet strip of Cipla’S Lamividine and Zidovudine (Tuovir) costs Rs 510, Ranbaxy’s Virocomb is priced Rs 500. Its version of Zidovudine (Zydovir) costs Rs 300 for a strip of 10 tablets, Ranbaxy’s Viro-Z is priced at Rs 260.

Ranbaxy would be Marketing its cocktail of anti-AIDS drugs through its division crosslands, he said. Even as the company has entered into the anti-AIDS market, it has also firmed up plans to foray into the herbal generics segment.

Mr Khanna said the traditional medicine segment had an immense potential and the company would utilise its expertise in R and D to bring out Research-based herbal medicines.

He said the company which currently spends nearly five per cent of its turnover on R and D Activity, is in the process of setting up another research laboratory near its existing facility.

The company has also developed a new once-a-day formulation of Ofloxacin on a patented technology platform which will be launched in the fourth quarter of 2001, according to company sources. The products in various strengths of 400, 600 and 800 mg were in Phase-III clinical trials, which were expected to be over by the third quarter of this year. (PTI)