Page 2 - Drugmaker

Ajanta Pharma looks to expand ops in high-growth Asian, African geographies

As part of its growth plans, Ajanta Pharma is looking to enhance its presence across select geographies with high growth potential in Asia and Africa. In its Annual Report for 2022-23, the Mumbai-based drug maker stated that it intends to rely on its strengths to grow faster in countries where it has a presence with its range of branded generics. "As we achieve formidable positions in many markets, our strategy now entails enhancing focus on select countries from our geographical presence, which promises high growth potential," Ajanta Pharma informed its shareholders. These territories offer a large branded generics pharma market size, but the company's presence still remains small, it added. "We plan to ramp up our presence in these markets and add value to the patients' choices through our differentiated product portfolio," the drug firm said. The company's branded generics business accounted for 73 per cent of its revenues in FY 2023, with Indian, rest of Asia and Africa ...

Race to develop weight-loss pills has some drugmakers falling behind

Novo and Lilly's experimental obesity pills helped people lose about 15% of body weight, similar to weight-loss shots on the market already, according to findings presented

Indian drugmaker denies toxicity in paracetamol syrup exported to Liberia

Nigeria's National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control said that samples of the Indian-made paracetamol suspension, Para Clear, exported to Liberia contained toxin ethylene glycol

2 more Indian drugmakers under lens in Nigeria for 'contamination'

Nigerian health agency flags off paracetamol, cough syrup

Kerala Minister estimates around Rs 8 cr loss in Kollam drug warehouse fire

Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Thursday said medicines and materials, worth around Rs 8 crore, were destroyed during a fire that gutted a warehouse of the state-run Kerala Medical Services Corporation Limited (KMSCL) in Kollam district last night. The district drug warehouse of KMSCL in Kollam was engulfed in fire on Wednesday night. It was a major supply source for medicines at state-run hospitals and PHCs in the district. There were no casualties in the incident. "The total loss due to the fire is estimated at Rs 8 crore. But the corporation need not suffer this much loss as the medicines are insured," she said. A comprehensive probe would be conducted into the reasons that led to the massive fire, she told reporters here. A scientific investigation report at various levels should be carried out to know how the blaze started, George said.

Sun Pharmaceuticals to see drop in revenue owing to IT security incident

Indian drugmaker Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd would see a revenue drop in a few of its businesses and incur some expenses due to an IT security incident that happened earlier this month

Price is the key growth driver of Indian pharma market, shows AWACS data

Market set to grow by 2.5-5% in calendar 2022. could even hit 5% due to a strong seasonal sales such as anti-infectives, and impact of NLEM drugs price hike

Contract drug maker V-Ensure gets Rs 130 cr from Investcorp, Tanas Capital

Founded in 2010, V-Ensure is into specialty pharmaceutical formulations focused on complex generics for regulated markets

Drugmaker Merck has strong fourth quarter as Covid-19 treatment debuts

The blockbuster cancer treatment Keytruda pushed Merck past fourth-quarter expectations, and the drugmaker's COVID-19 treatment debuted with nearly $1 billion in sales. Sales for the Gardasil vaccine, which protects against cancer-causing human papilloma virus infections, jumped 50%, Merck said Thursday. Merck earned $3.75 billion in the final quarter of 2021 and sales jumping 24% to $13.52 billion. Adjusted earnings, which exclude items like interest expense, totalled $1.80 per share, far exceeding Wall Street's per-share projections of $1.53, according to a survey by the data firm FactSet. Merck sales also topped the quarterly revenue expectations of $13.16 billion from industry analysts. The drugmaker expects adjusted earnings of $7.12 to $7.27 per share on $56.1 billion to $57.6 billion in revenue. Wall Street has been projecting earnings of $7.30 per share on $56.71 billion in revenue. Shares of Merck & Co., based in Kenilworth, New Jersey, slipped 17 cents to $81.84 in ear

Moderna to come up with combined Covid and flu booster by 2023

US drugmaker Moderna is working on a combined Covid-19 and flu booster shot, which could be available in some countries by fall 2023 at the earliest, CEO Stephane Bancel has said.

Lupin recalls 4,113 cartons of oral contraceptive medicine in US market

Homegrown drug maker Lupin is recalling 4,113 cartons of generic oral contraceptive tablets in the US, the world's largest market for medicines, due to manufacturing issues. As per the latest enforcement report issued by the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA), Lupin's US-based unit is recalling 4,113 cartons of Tydemy (drospirenone, ethinyl estradiol & levomefolate calcium tablets, 3 mg/0.03 mg/0.451 mg and levomefolate calcium tablets, 0.451 mg). The affected lot has been produced at the company's Pithampur-based manufacturing facility in Madhya Pradesh and distributed in the US by Baltimore-based Lupin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. The company is recalling the lot due to it being Subpotent Drug, the US health regulator noted in the report. Lupin initiated the nationwide recall on November 19 this year, it added. The USFDA has classified both the recalls as class III. As per the US health regulator, a class III recall is initiated in a situation in which use of, or exposure to, a .

Aurobindo Pharma, Unichem Laboratories recall products in US market

Aurobindo Pharma and Unichem Laboratories are recalling different products in the US market, the world's largest market for medicines, due to manufacturing issues. As per the latest enforcement report issued by the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA), Aurobindo's US-based unit is recalling 7,296 containers of hypertension drug Carvedilol tablets. The affected lot contains 6.25 mg Carvedilol tablets, which have been produced in India and distributed in the US by Princeton-based Aurobindo Pharma USA Inc. The company is recalling the lot due to "failed impurities/degradation specifications", the US health regulator noted in the report. Aurobindo initiated the nationwide the recall on November 15 this year, it added. Another domestic drug maker Unichem Laboratories is recalling 1,284 bottles of Topiramate tablets, used to treat epilepsy (seizures) and to prevent migraines. It is also used in the treatment of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (a rare, but severe form of epilepsy that starts

Sanofi India net profit at Rs 530 crore in September quarter

The company's revenue from operations rose to Rs 754.5 crore as compared to Rs 686.6 crore in the year-ago period

SoftBank said to build a $5 billion stake in Swiss drugmaker Roche

The Japanese conglomerate is now one of Roche's largest investors, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Pharma majors join hands for Molnupiravir trial for Covid-19 treatment

Leading drug makers have decided to collaborate for clinical trial of the investigational oral antiviral drug Molnupiravir

Five drugmakers to jointly start local trial of Merck & Co's Covid-19 drug

(Reuters) -Five Indian generic drugmakers, including Cipla and Dr Reddy's Laboratories, said on Tuesday they would jointly conduct a clinical trial in India for Merck & Co's experimental anti-viral drug to treat mild COVID-19 in non-hospitalised patients.

Drugmaker Glenmark fourth quarter net profit up 6% at Rs 233.87 crore

The rise came on account of higher sales.

GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals reports net profit of Rs 157 cr in Q3

GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals on Friday said it has registered a consolidated net profit of Rs 156.51 crore for the third quarter ended December

US drugmaker Merck's Kenneth Frazier to step down as CEO in June-end

Frazier, 66, will remain with the drugmaker as executive chairman for a transition period to be determined by the board.

Drugmakers to hike prices for 2021 as Covid pressure puts revenues at risk

Drugmakers including Pfizer Inc, Sanofi SA, and GlaxoSmithKline Plc plan to raise US prices on more than 300 drugs in the United States on Jan 1