Natco expecting Rs 600-cr turnover by this fiscal end

Hyderabad-based Pharma company, Natco, which launched a drug similar to Tamiflu, is expecting a turnover of Rs 600 crore by this fiscal end, a top company official said.        

"We are expecting a turnover of Rs 600 crore by March 2010. Last year it was Rs 400 crore," Natco Pharma Limited's Product Manager Ambarish Jambhorkar said here after the company came out with drug 'Natflu', available Pan-India to treat swine flu, on Thursday.        

The company is ready with 1.25 million capsules to meet the requirements of the swine flu situation in the country, he said, adding, "we expect to release 10 million capsules of Natflu by end of October if required."

The drug will be initially sold through the company's own 18 carry and forward agents who will supply 'Natflu' to all those stockists and chemists who have have a Schedule X license.        

Currently, the pharma company has tied-up with retail pharmacy chain Medplus, who have applied for the license to sell the drug.        

Medplus has 630 outlets across country and currently Natflu will be available at 25 Medplus stores in Hyderabad.        

"We are already in talks with several pharma retail outlets to supply Natflu. We expect some deals to close in five to six days," Jambhorkar said.

Talking about the market share of the newly launched drug, Jambhorkar said, "we expect bigger and good market share from Natflu but it is not possible to put some number to it as more players may come up."

The company also said it will soon launch a manufacturing plant which is coming up in Chennai by mid next year.        

"The construction work of our plant in Chennai has started and we expect it to complete by mid next year. The plant will help in developing medicines with new technology," Jambhorkar added.