Oral insulin drug for Phase II trial. | |
| Biocon, with a strong drug discovery pipeline, has doubled its research and development (R&D) spend to Rs 30 crore in the first nine months of operations in FY 2006-07. In the third quarter alone, the company has spent Rs 13 crore. |
| |
| According to chairman and managing director Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, "R&D continues to be an important focus for Biocon considering that our discovery pipeline is really an important part of our way forward. We are making good progress on all the molecules that we are developing." |
| |
| "Biocon's BioMab EGFR (monoclonal antibody for the treatment of cancer) has made a good debut in the Indian market and we have been able to licence this molecule for the Pakistan market quickly. We will look at similar licencing arrangements with Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Gulf Co-operation Council region and South Africa," she added. |
| |
| For the next fiscal, the company is looking at licensing opportunities for other important discovery programmes like the oral insulin and T1H (indicated for rheumatoid arthritis), which are expected to enter Phase II clinical development in 2007. |
| |
| "Biocon has registered its Insugen (insulin) brand in five countries and in 2007, we expect to have our registration completed in 25 countries. In four to five years, we are targeting 75 countries. We are trying to build Insugen as a global brand," said Rakesh Bamzai, president marketing, Biocon. |
| |
| With the Biocon Park becoming fully operational, "We have been able to reduce the cost of manufacturing as the complete manufacturing has been conducted at Biocon Park. This itself has allowed us to realise better margins," she said. |
| |
|
| |
