'Orphan drugs' specialist Shire to expand India presence

The company's optimism to expand presence in is also fuelled by the govt's proposed policy on treatment of rare diseases

Irish drugmaker Shire will bring new genetic disorder drugs to India as it steps up its presence in the fast-growing domestic market.

Shire, which had a global revenue of over $11 billion in 2016 specialises in drugs to treat rare diseases. These are diseases with low prevalence and limited treatment options. In India, drugs to treat rare diseases (also referred to as orphan drugs) are largely procured by the government and dispensed at public hospitals.

Shire's presence in the domestic market is still small compared to established markets like the United States and Europe but India has emerged as one