Pharma PSUs foray ARV drugs mkt; eye 10% shareBS Reporter / New Delhi September 24, 2006Two of the four pharmaceutical PSUs - Rajasthan Drugs and Pharmaceuticals (RDPL) and Hindustan Antibiotics (HAL) - are getting into the fast-growing segment of anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs, which are used in the treatment of AIDS.The entry of the PSUs into this market, estimated at Rs 3,000 crore a year, is certain to bring down the prices as the PSUs intend to price their drugs 20% cheaper than the prevailing market rates.There is already a downward pressure on the prices of ARVs as a result of Gilead Sciences, the US-based multi-national, entering into as many as seven licensing agreements with Indian companies to make and market its ARV, tenofovir.The imminent entry of the two PSUs in the ARV segment is part of the plan to revive them. All the four pharma PSUs - the other two being Indian Drug & Pharmaceuticals and Bengal Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals - are sick. Chances are that IDPL and BCPL will also join the ARV fray.Announcing this, Union minister for chemicals & fertilisers Ram Vilas Paswan said RDPL would launch six ARVs and HAL another three.The HIV-infected population in India touched an alarming 5.7 million in 2005.While RDPL and HAL have already starting producing ARVs for the first line treatment and received approvals for good manufacturing practices, the companies will soon be file for registration with World Health Organisation and pre-qualification, following which they can export to other countries as well.The department of chemicals and petrochemicals has already put in place a
