Weather changes drove Indian pharma market growth to 5.2% in May

Anti-infectives, respiratory therapy areas clock double-digit value growth

The Indian pharmaceutical market (IPM) grew 5.2 per cent in May 2024, aided by a double-digit value growth in anti-infectives (12 per cent) and respiratory therapy areas (10.2 per cent) due to sudden change in weather across the country, according to market research firm Pharmarack.

Excessive summer heat led to a spurt in common pulmonology issues like bronchitis, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, and emphysema, leading to 10 per cent growth for respiratory therapy areas, according to Pharmarack.

“Anti-infective drugs saw increased usage as more cases of fungal infections, upper respiratory tract infections, and fever were reported,” the report added.

Growth in the moving annual turnover (MAT, which is the previous 12 months’ turnover) for IPM between June 2023 and May 2024 stood at 7.3 per cent, leading to a total turnover of a little over Rs 2 trillion, while volumes in the domestic market dipped 0.5 per cent.

The MAT of leading therapies such as cardiac, gastro-intestinal, and anti-infectives have shown relatively robust volume growth at 8.9 per cent, 7.5 per cent, and 7.4 per cent, respectively. Together, the three therapy areas constitute 37.5 per cent of IPM.

While top players registered modest monthly value growth in the domestic market, players such as Fourrts (33.9 per cent), Hetero (25.1 per cent), USV (17 per cent), Alembic (13 per cent), and Macleods (12.7 per cent) posted significant monthly value growth among top 40 companies in the IPM in May 2024.
 

USV’s anti-diabetic drug Glycomet GP and GSK’s antibiotic drug Augmentin continued to be the top-selling medicine brands for May 2024, with sales of Rs 70.1 crore and Rs 64.5 crore, respectively.