TTK Health enters ortho segment

TTK Healthcare, part of the Chennai-based Rs 1,500 crore TTK Group, has forayed into the orthopaedic segment. The company will manufacture and market orthopaedic implants under the brand ‘Altius’ with American collaboration.

Speaking to reporters here on Friday, TT Raghunathan, group vice chairman, TTK Healthcare, said the company had ambitious plans to manufacture and market various orthopaedic implants including the total knee replacement system.

TTK’s ortho division had collaborated with US-based BP Trust, run by Dr Frederick K Buechel and Dr Michael J Pappas.

“This will be a technical collaboration and we will pay royalty to the trust on every knee cap,” said Raghunathan. He said the current manufacturing capacity for the cap was around 80, which will be increased to 20,000 in a phased manner. The company is planning to invest around Rs 20 crore in the initiative.

The average cost of a knee cap would be around Rs 35,000, he added.

The number of knee replacements in India is around 40,000 and expected to grow by 30-40 per cent. The company also has plans to take up the development of hip, ankle and shoulder replacements.