Glenmark to focus on dermatology medication

Mumbai-based Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd will focus on developing medications for ailments relating to cardiology, dermatology and respiratory conditions.

Speaking on the sidelines of the launch of Diabetes treatment drugs using Teneligliptin-based drugs Ziten and Zita Plus, Sujesh Vasudevan, President and Head – India Business, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, said dermatology is one of the fastest-growing areas as more people are giving importance to beauty and wellness.

“Though the products are sold based on prescription, people are increasingly opting for dermatology and cosmetology clinics because of the trust factor in the doctors rather than over-the-counter beauty products,” Vasudevan said.

The company will also be launching Teneligliptin and Metformin combination product, which is currently under clinical trials at 30 centres.

Glenmark expecting USFDA nod for 4-6 products this fiscal

Glenmark Pharmaceuticals is expecting approvals for four to six new products during the fiscal from the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA), a senior official said on Monday. 

We are expecting approvals for 4-6 products from the USFDA during this year," Glenmark Pharmaceuticals President and Head-India Business Sujesh Vasudevan told reporters here on the sidelines of launch of Teneligliptin in Telangana. The company had already got approvals for eight products this year, he added. Teneligliptin, a new third generation oral anti-diabetic agent, is used for the management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Glenmark has launched this molecule under two brands, Ziten and Zita Plus, at Rs 19.90 per tablet. "The launch of these two products will lower the daily cost of treatment for a diabetes patient on Gliptin therapy by approximately 55 percent," Vasudevan said. Glenmark's diabetes segment is valued at around Rs 100 crore, Vasudevan said, adding it is growing at 20 percent per annum. Reacting to a query, he said, "The capex for this year is Rs 600 crore and majority of this will go for the plant in the US."

Glenmark to launch 10-12 new products in India, eyes 18-20 per cent growth

Mumbai headquartered drug firm Glenmark Pharmaceuticals proposes to launch 10-12 new products in the domestic market during the current financial year (2015-16) and hopes to report a growth of 18-20 per cent, said a top official. 

The Rs 6,600 crore firm in revenues last fiscal, earns over a fourth of revenues from the domestic market, mostly focusing on dermatology and diabetes drugs. The company may also look at acquiring brands or companies aimed at strengthening its market share in t .. 

We are going to launch 10-12 new products in India this year. We have already launched 4 products so far. New product launches would help us maintaining the high growth rate at around 18-20 per cent when the industry is growing at about 12 per cent", said Vasudevan while addressing journalists in Hyderabad on Monday on the eve of launching new oral drug Teneligliptin for type-2 diabetes. 

Glenmark, which currently earns around Rs 100 crore from the diabetes segment with a year on year growth of around 20 per cent, is planning to grow significantly with the help of new product launches going forward. 

"Our new combination drug of tenegliptin and metformin is under clinical trials now. We will launch this product once we get the approvals from the authorities", said Sujesh. 

He said the domestic diabetes drugs market is currently estimated at around Rs 6,600 crore and gliptins account for around Rs 1,200 crore. 

Neutral rating on Cipla, Sun Pharma no game changer: Sarabjit Kour Nangra, Angel Broking, Pharma

In an interview with ET Now, Sarabjit Kour Nangra, VP - Research, Angel Broking, Pharma, shares his views on markets. Excerpts: 

ET Now: What is that you have made of the USFDA approval for Lupin for a drug of the Goa plant and does Lupin become a buy right now? 

Sarabjit Kour Nangra: This is definitely positive because we expect that Goa facility is not a big issue. It is just a few observations which have come in and we believe that  that it is positive because it indicates that probably they will overcome it. We have a neutral rating on the stock. We do not think the current valuations justify a buy rating on the stock. 

ET Now: What about Sun Pharma, do you think these two product approvals that they have got, how big an opportunity are those for Sun Pharma? 

Sarabjit Kour Nangra: It is a good opportunity in the sense it is a specialised generic, nonetheless it is a generic because the product is already generic and there are various copies available to the product, but since it is a variation, it is in a capsule form, most of the oral products are equivalent available  in the branded and generic market are in the form of tablets, so this is a capsule with a higher dosage. 

So, for the Sun PharmaBSE 0.28 % given its competitive edge and given the efficacy of the product, it can easily do 80 to 50 million on a conservative basis to begin with and then scale up the product. As of now, it is not a game changer but it can be as the product scales up over a period of years. So, it is good news and the ANDA approval that they have got is also of decent size  o it will add to the company but since the company is so big that such small approvals do not add significantly. 

source: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/48556552.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst.. 

Sun Pharma, Lupin Surge on New Drug Approval

Sun Pharma and Lupin shares surged on Thursday in an otherwise weak market after both the companies got approval for new drugs from the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA). The new drug approvals for Sun Pharma and Lupin can offer millions of dollars in revenues to these companies.

Lupin has received approval from the US FDA for Fenofibrate tablets in dosages of 160 mg and 54 mg, which is used to reduce cholesterol level in human body and reduce risk of cardiovascular disease.

Analysts say, total annual revenues expected from the drug is about $154 million and the competition in this drug is limited to only three generic players.

Lupin has got approval to manufacture the drug from its Goa plant, which had got Form 483 (observation letter) from the USFDA in July. However, this approval indicates that observations at Goa plant are not disruptive and pushed its shares as much as 8.1 per cent higher.

Similarly, Sun Pharma shares advanced over 4 per cent after the pharma major received approval for generic drug Xenazine, which is used for treatment of acne.

Analysts say the market for Xenazine is around $319 million annually and Sun Pharma can expect sales of $6-7 million per month from this drug. Sun Pharma expects to launch this product in last quarter of 2015.

Lupin shares closed 5.30 per cent higher at Rs 1,890.55 and Sun Pharma shares ended 0.91 per cent higher at Rs 935.65 apiece, compared to 1.44 per cent loss in the broader Nifty.

Lupin's appetite for growth

It’s always a tough call for companies to decide on the need—or otherwise—for an acquisitions-led growth strategy. Oftentimes one has seen business owners examining the pros and cons of potential acquisitions and then going back to an organic growth strategy, keeping in mind current compulsions, cash flows and the impact an acquisition could have on the balance sheet. In this context, Lupin Ltd’s recent, and aggressive, acquisitions-driven growth recipe deserves special attention. The company, founded by Desh Bandhu Gupta in the ’60s, is India’s third largest pharma company by sales, and the next generation of the Gupta family—CEO Vinita and MD Nilesh—are currently busy implementing what is arguably one of the more aggressive buyouts-driven growth plans seen in the pharma sector. The target the two have set for themselves is daunting: A $5 billion turnover by FY2018. In rupee terms, it means the company will have to vault from a current turnover level of Rs 12,600 crore to Rs 31,875 crore in three years. And Lupin realises that if this has to happen, acquisitions would have to be an integral part of the company’s plans.

The first big steps have already been taken in that direction. The company announced three important buys in July, which includes a hefty $880 million one of Gavis, an American generic drug maker, which has become the largest acquisition by an Indian pharma company, bigger than the Dr Reddy’s-Betapharm deal of over $560 million in 2006. The Gavis acquisition will provide Lupin a stronger foothold in the American market, which accounts for 45 percent of Lupin’s FY15 revenues, apart from bulking up its portfolio with specialised products. 

The Gavis buy, as Associate Editor Aveek Datta writes in the cover story, is an important piece of a broader ‘string of pearls’ strategy drawn up by the pharma major, whereby smaller companies will provide flanking support by way of a mix of specialised products, new markets and technologies. Not surprising then that the Guptas are already talking of further acquisitions to the tune of another $500-700 million over the next year. That the buyouts strategy has gathered serious momentum is also borne out by the fact that half of the 12 companies Lupin has acquired thus far have been bought over the past year-and-a-half. The strategy seems to have pleased shareholders, particularly billionaire investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, who has given the Guptas a firm thumbs-up.

This issue also brings you the coveted Forbes list of America’s Top 200 Colleges. The listing and the stories show that colleges and universities in the US are increasingly focusing on providing greater value to students, given the steep cost of higher education. And importantly, many are proving to be excellent launchpads for the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Source: 

http://forbesindia.com/column/column/lupins-appetite-for-growth/40931/1#ixzz3jeHEgN1Q

Glenmark receives USFDA nod for oral contraceptive drug

Glenmark Pharmaceuticals today said it has received final approval from the US health regulator to sell oral contraceptive -- drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol tablets -- in the US market.

"Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Inc., USA has been granted final approval by the United States Food & Drug Administration (USFDA) for Drospirenone and Ethinyl Estradiol tablets USP, 3 mg/0.02 mg," the company said in a BSE filing.

The product is generic version Bayer's Yaz tablets.

Glenmark said it plans to commence shipping of drospirenone and ethinyl Estradiol tablets immediately.

Citing IMS Health sales data, the company said for the 12 months period ending June, "The Yaz market achieved annual sales of approximately $170.1 million".

Glenmark's shares were trading at Rs 1,213.65 apiece, up 4.62% from their previous close on BSE.

Lupin pharmaceutical firm opens research center in Broward

A pharmaceutical firm from India opened a $13 million facility in Coral Springs, where it plans to create 45 jobs.

 

Mumbai, India-based Pharma Major Lupin received a $315,000 public incentive package in a deal with local officials and the state after working with the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity and Enterprise Florida. The company will conduct research and development work in Coral Springs for inhalation products to treat asthma, allergic rhinitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.

“We are delighted to be making our mark in South Florida,” Lupin CEO Vinita Gupta said. “With the talent and resources this state provides, our Coral Springs expansion will further strengthen our ability to bring quality, affordable pharmaceuticals to patients in the United States and other key markets globally. The new inhalation research and development facility is a significant step forward in our journey to emerge as a global specialty pharmaceutical player.”

Lupin is the sixth-largest generic drug manufacturer in the U.S. mart, according to IMS Health. It’s U.S. headquarters is in Baltimore. It has a pending deal to acquire New Jersey-based Gavis.

 

Source: http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/news/2015/08/10/lupin-pharmaceutical-firm-opens-research-center.html

Sun Pharma Q1 profit tanks 46% on Ranbaxy integration cost

Revenue met expectations, growing 10 percent to Rs 6,767.6 crore in June quarter compared to Rs 6,157 crore in March quarter.

Drug major Sun Pharmaceutical Industries  ' first quarter consolidated net profit disappointed street on Tuesday, down 46 percent quarter-on-quarter (down 60.2 percent year-on-year) to Rs 479 crore. The bottomline was impacted by exceptional loss, higher tax expenses and lower other income.

Revenue met expectations, growing 10 percent (up 6.7 percent on yearly basis) to Rs 6,767.6 crore in June quarter compared to Rs 6,157 crore in March quarter. Profit was estimated at Rs 894 crore on revenue of Rs 6,262 crore for the quarter, according to average of estimates of analysts polled by CNBC-TV18. Sun Pharma said net profit for the quarter was adversely impacted by one-time items related to restructuring as well as exceptional charges of Rs 685 crore. These exceptional charges related to impairment of fixed assets and goodwill and other related costs and have arisen on account of Ranbaxy integration and optimisation measures, it added. In fact, the country's largest drug maker already issued profit warning (on July 20), saying FY16 revenue will remain flat or record marginal decline compared to FY15. Hence, profit may also be adversely impacted due to certain expenses/charges arising out of Ranbaxy integration as well as remedial actions, it added.

In fact, the country's largest drug maker already issued profit warning (on July 20), saying FY16 revenue will remain flat or record marginal decline compared to FY15. Hence, profit may also be adversely impacted due to certain expenses/charges arising out of Ranbaxy integration as well as remedial actions, it added. Branded generic sales in India (which contributes 27 percent to total sales) increased by 11 percent year-on-year to Rs 1,784 crore.

However, US finished dosage sales fell 4 percent to USD 488 million, impacted primarily due to competitive pressure on some products and temporary supply constraints arising from remediation efforts at the Halol facility. Its US subsidiary Taro Pharma registered a 125.2 percent growth in net profit at USD 103.6 million and a 65 percent growth in revenue at USD 215 million year-on-year. However, its sales volume declined 10 percent as a result of increase in competitor activity in the US. "We remain cautious of the ever-increasing pressure on business from strong competition and the continuing industry and customer consolidations," said Kal Sundaram, Taro’s CEO on August 7. Sun's emerging markets sales dropped 15 percent on yearly basis to USD 133 million due to volatile currency movements in certain emerging markets and a strategic decision of not participating in low margin businesses. Rest of World sales declined 7 percent to USD 91 million year-on-year. Research and development investments stood at Rs 511 crore for the quarter, an increase of 37 percent over Q1 last year. This included significant investments on account of funding the clinical development of MK-3222, the IL-23 monoclonal anti-body in-licensed from MSD (US), said Sun.

Other income fell 72.4 percent to Rs 105.4 crore from Rs 382.5 crore on sequential basis. Consolidated tax expenses for the quarter were Rs 226.8 crore against tax write-back of Rs Rs 600 crore in previous quarter.

"After the management's guidance [that its revenues would be flat for the year], the focus is on EBITDA, which is good," Sarabjit Kaur-Nangra of Angel Broking told CNBC-TV18. "But the numbers on the top line are better than our expectations."

Operational performance was ahead of expectations. Consolidated operating profit (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) shot up 108.4 percent sequentially (down 4 percent year-on-year) to Rs 1,859.7 crore and margin expanded by 1300 basis points (down 310 bps year-on-year) to 27.5 percent in June quarter. Analysts were expecting operating profit at Rs 1,504 crore and margin at 24 percent for the quarter.

What Indian pharma research must learn from Sun Pharma's Glaucoma drug experience

Glaucoma is a health condition that affects the eye. It needs urgent attention and lifelong care. Left unattended, glaucoma can lead to loss of eyesight. There are no known early symptoms and the best solution is for people over 40 years to have regular eye checkups, though glaucoma could, in some rare cases, affect children too.

According to Glaucoma Society of India, Glaucoma is the third leading cause of blindness in India - 12 million people are affected accounting for 12.8 per cent of the country's blindness.

It is a global problem. In the US, for instance, Glaucoma prevalence is reported at 1.9 per cent of the US population aged 40 or older. That means roughly 2.7 million Americans have Glaucoma.

Such patients have to be put on a dose of eye drops for life much like lifelong medication for patients of diabetes or hypertension. However, most of these eye drops tend to have side effects or other associated problems. This is because most such drops contain a preservative called Benzalkonium Chloride (BAK in quickspeak). Over time, BAK tends to prove harmful to the eye surface. In many cases, it leads to redness in the eye with symptoms like tearing, burning or itching making patients uncomfortable.

Therefore, the trend globally today is to move towards eye drops that are BAK-free. From India, Sun Pharma Advanced Research Company or SPARC has come up with a differentiated product - it is not a generic since SPARC has developed a new technology platform that avoids the use of BAK and has undertaken clinical studies in the US for this.

It has launched a product based on this in India called Letoprost RT. However, it is facing challenges in getting the approval to launch a similar product, Xelpros, in the US market. Fortunately, as one gathers from company statements, these are not about some fundamental issues like the need for new or additional clinical data.

Between December last and August this year, SPARC received two Complete Response Letters or CRLs from the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA), which in effect means the product application cannot be approved in its current form.

When on December 1, 2014, SPARC announced that the FDA had issued a CRL to its New Drug Application (NDA) for Xelpros, it said: "While the FDA did not seek any additional information for supporting clinical data, it sought additional information on certain labelling and other deficiencies for processing the NDA."

Again on August 1, 2015, it informed the bourses that it had received another CRL to its NDA for Xelpros. What is important, it said, "SPARC submitted a response to an earlier CRL it had received from the USFDA, wherein no additional preclinical or clinical data was required. While the USFDA has accepted the clarifications and changes to the labelling, SPARC has now received another CRL from the USFDA seeking minor changes to the proposed labelling. SPARC hopes to address these requirements soon."

First learning: It is very likely that one is not able to clearly understand what the regulator wants, and that becomes a challenge in itself. Says Anil Raghavan, CEO (R&D) at SPARC: "FDA identifies deficiencies in NDA applications and responds in the form of Complete Response Letters (CRL). The response to a CRL is based on best understanding and interpretation of the queries / comments contained in the CRL. However, FDA has the final say in determining whether a response is adequately addressing queries/comments in a CRL." It is important that Indian pharma companies doing research and seeking product approvals abroad understand this well.

Second learning: having an identical product launched in India gives you no advantage. According to SPARC, Xelpros, the product for which it is seeking approval from the USFDA is no different from Letoprost RT that it has in the Indian market. In other words, having a product in India (despite all the good reasons for a Make-in-India pitch) does not seem to be give any comparative advantage to a company planning to launch a product abroad. And it all just boils down to following the existing norm where every country has to anyway approve each product individually.

Third learning and perhaps a very important one for Indian pharma companies from the SPARC experience is with the manufacturing process that a new R&D product has to fall back on. If we are found wanting in this, even a great product development process will not help. Consider this: In the latest CRL that SPARC got from the FDA. Since the product is to be manufactured at Sun Pharma's Halol facility in Gujarat, SPARC says: "The USFDA has indicated that a satisfactory resolution of the cGMP deficiencies at this facility is a prerequisite for the final approval of Xelpros." The USFDA had observed certain cGMP deviations at this facility of Sun Pharma during the inspection conducted by the regulator in September last year.

On the connect between Sun Pharma and SPARC on this, as many would know, in June this year SPARC licensed out XelprosTM (Latanoprost BAK-free eye drops) to a subsidiary of Sun Pharma for the US market. In addition to up-front payment of $3 million, SPARC will receive certain other milestone payments, both totalling to $16 million from Sun Pharma. It is also eligible for certain defined royalties and additional milestone payments linked to the actual sales of Xelpros