Ind-Swift Lines Up Foray Into Us Mart

The New Delhi-based Ind-Swift Group plans a foray into the American pharmaceutical bulk drugs and formulations market. It has commenced registration formalities and is preparing for US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) approval for its manufacturing units.

The group has two companies Ind-Swift Laboratories and Ind-Swift Ltd making bulk drugs and formulations, respectively.

"Ind-Swift Labs is preparing drug master files (for bulk drugs) and Ind-Swift Ltd is in talks with the American arm of a UK-headquartered company to jointly file abbreviated new drug applications (for formulations)," said V K Mehta, joint managing director, Ind-Swift Laboratories.

One of the first bulk drugs to hit the American market is expected to be anti-infective clarithromycin granules.

 

In the domestic market the company markets a dispersible tablet version of clarithromycin. This formulation is locally branded as Clarie-DT. DT stands for dispersible tablet which is a new drug delivery system for the product.

Domestically, the product had proved promising and could gross Rs 10 crore in the next three years, Mehta said.

The product patent for clarithromycin is due to expire in 2003. "A delegation from the American company will be visiting us this month to approve the formulations facility," Mehta added.

Ind-Swift Ltd is also close to commissioning a manufacturing facility for formulations i.e. tablets, injections, and ointments. Commercial production will commence in March 2000.

Built with an investment of Rs 8 crore it will come up at Parwanoo in North India near an existing facility which makes tablets, capsules and coated granules.

The company's strengths lie in steroids and hormones which contribute 20 per cent to turnover followed by anti-infectives that contribute 15.3 per cent. Other segments include anti-histamines, cardiovasculars, analgesics, anti-amoebics, and dermatologicals.

The company is soon to launch a super speciality division with 150 medical representatives and all-India coverage. These will focus on cardiovasculars and diabetology-related products.

Ind-Swift Ltd has also pruned its portfolio by phasing out 15 brands and is in

talks to acquire small denomination

brands from other pharma companies, Mehta said.

Ind-Swift Ltd which claims novel drug delivery systems to be an area of strength expects ten NDDS products from its pipeline for molecules such as roxithromycin, omeprazole, betamethosone etc., in the near future.