Cipla retains top slot in domestic pharma market

Drug company Cipla maintained its top position in the domestic market for the 12 months ended December, 2009, with a market share of 5.38 per cent — up 18 per cent over the year and ahead of Ranbaxy Laboratories and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).

The total domestic drug market is valued at Rs 40,051.74 crore, an increase of 17 per cent over the previous year, according to data from drug sales tracking agency, ORG-IMS. The agency tracks drug sales among more than 500,000 traders in the country, through stockist data.

Cipla’s domestic market share grew 18 per cent during the year, thanks to its product basket of 924 products, which is way ahead of Ranbaxy’s 565 and GSK’s 177 products.

Ranbaxy got a market share of 4.91 per cent and GSK had a market share of 4.35 per cent, with a growth of 13.7 per cent and 18 per cent, respectively, in 2009.

During the period, Cipla had sales of Rs 2,155.29 crore in the domestic market, ahead of Ranbaxy’s Rs 1,968.24 crore and GSK’s Rs 1,743.15 crore.

Cipla had overtaken Ranbaxy and GSK India to become the largest pharmaceutical company in the domestic market for the first time in May, 2007, according to sources.
 

GROWTH TONIC
Company	No of  products	Domestic  turnover (Rs cr)	Market  share  (%)	Growth*  (%)
Cipla	924	2,155.29	5.38	18
Ranbaxy	565	1,968.24	4.91	13.7
GSK	177	1,743.15	4.35	18
Piramal Health	750	1,644.26	4.11	22.8
Zydus Cadila	735	1,484.84	3.71	21.2
Sun Pharma	516	1,449.83	3.62	22.9
Source: ORG-IMS data *Change in 2009 market share over 2008

Piramal Healthcare, Zydus Cadila, Sun Pharma, Alkem Laboratories, Mankind, Lupin and Aristo Pharma occupied the 4th-10th positions in ORG-IMS rankings, respectively.

Interestingly, Elder Pharma emerged as the fastest growing company in the domestic market among the top 50 players, with a year-on-year (YoY) growth rate of 28.1 per cent over the previous year. Elders’ growth in the domestic market is ahead of Mankind (27.9 per cent), Wanbury ( 25.2 per cent), Piramal Healthcare (22.8 per cent), Zydus Cadila (21.2 per cent), Sun Pharma (22.9 per cent), Micro Labs and Alembic (24.7 per cent).

“A focused approach on promoting flagship brands like Shelcal, which grew 22 per cent, along with Chymoral Forte (30 per cent) and Formic-O (100 per cent), and prioritising the market opportunities helped us achieve this growth,” Elder Healthcare Director Alok Saxena said.

Among brands, Pfizer’s cough syrup, Corex, regained its position as the largest drug brand in the country with sales of close to Rs 182 crore.