Venus Remedies gets patent approval for Potentox in Australia

Venus Remedies, Chandigarh-based pharmaceutical major, has been granted patent from the Commissioner of Patents, Australian Government and State Registry of Patents for Inventions, Ukraine for one of its research product “Potentox”, a combination of cefepime and Amikacin under the title of “Antibiotic Combination of Amikacin and Cefepime for providing total solution for the treatment of infection.” These patents are valid until 2025.

Prompt treatment of pneumonia with a full course of appropriate antibiotics was a challenge. Venus Medicine Research Centre (VMRC), the R&D unit of VRL studied thoroughly the bacteria responsible for pneumonia, resistance pattern with existing therapies and reasons of failures in order to find this innovative drug combination Potentox which shall help in providing instant remedy for hospital / community acquired pneumonia.

Potentox that has already been granted patent in India, South Korea, South Africa, New Zealand and is expected to received grants from the countries like US, Europe and Japan as well, is a unique super specialty product with combination of a cephalosporin and aminoglycoside indicated for the treatment of hospital - acquired and community - acquired pneumonia and fabrile neutropenia. Percentage reduction in cost to patients compared to pontentox is 49.2 per cent as compared to existing therapy and there is reduction of 9 days hospitalisation time for patients suffering from Hospital Acquired Pneumonia and Percentage reduction in cost to patients compared to Pontentox is 24.10 per cent as compared to existing therapy and there is a reduction of 13 days hospitalisation time for patients suffering from Fabrile Neutropnenia.

Venus Remedies is currently in the process of out licensing and further registration of Potentox in different markets worldwide. The product was launched in Indian market three years back after completion of all preclinical and multicentric phase III clinical trials on more than 300 patients after DCGI approval and the product has already been used by more than 50,000 patients across India. The company is also in the process to launch pediatric version of this medicine.

Australian pharmaceutical market is growing at a CAGR of 4.7 per cent with $10 billion revenue by 2012. And the Ukraine’s pharmaceutical market has been growing by no less than 10 per cent for the last few years. In 2009, the total audited pharmaceutical market for Ukraine grew by 33.9 per cent to reach $1.8 billion. The product Potentox has already been launched in Ukrainian market this year and will be launched in Australia by end of 2012. Company expects a sizeable share for this product out of the antibiotic market.