Panacea Biotec partners with GAVI

11 July 2011 | News

New Delhi-based Panacea Biotec became the first company in the world to introduce a fully liquid pentavalent vaccine, EasyFive, in the year 2005. Panacea has pledged its support to the cause of GAVI alliance by deciding to reduce the cost of EasyFive to the tune of 10 to 15 percent in coming years. This effort would increase the access of vaccines to millions of children.

After introduction of EasyFive in developing countries in the year 2008, the price of pentavalent vaccines have decreased by 18 percent in 2010. The new vaccine price reductions are expected to help in the donor support for GAVI & contribute towards reducing GAVI's funding challenge.

Launched in 2000, the GAVI Alliance is a global health partnership representing stakeholders in immunization from both private and public sectors, developing world and donor governments, private sector philanthropists such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the financial community, developed and developing country vaccine manufacturers, research and technical institutes, civil society organizations and multilateral organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Bank.

The combined demand of all pediatric vaccines worldwide is estimated to grow up to 7,200 crore by 2012. The pentavalent vaccine market is estimated to cross a mark of 4,500 crore, out of which UN agencies are likely to procure vaccines worth more than 1,912 crore by the end of 2011. Panacea Biotec has a long term agreement with UNICEF to supply 75 million doses for the year 2011 and 2012.

EasyFive, which immunizes children against five dreadful diseases including, diptheria, tetanus, whole cell pertussis, hepatitis b and hemophilus influenza type b, was introduced in India in January 2005. Panacea Biotec is considered to be the largest vaccine producer in India and has also been ranked as the third largest biotechnology company. The product portfolio of the company includes highly innovative prescription products in important therapeutic areas such as pain management, diabetes management, renal-disease management, anti-osteoporosis, anti-tubercular, gastro-intestinal care products and vaccines.


FDA warns Dr Reddy's over Mexico plant

Industrias Quimicas Falcon de Mexico SA de CV, which is Dr Reddy's Laboratories' chemical manufacturing facility at Cuernavaca, Mexico, received a four item warning letter from the US FDA.

The FDA inspected the wholly owned subsidiary of India-based Dr Reddy's Laboratories in November 2010. Following the inspection, the FDA issued Form FDA 483 along with observations.

Dr Reddy's believes that it responded to the 483 observations by implementing a number of corrective actions. However, the USFDA has asked for additional data and corrective actions to the items listed in the Warning Letter. Dr Reddy's is taking the matter very seriously and will respond to the USFDA within the stipulated timeframe. Dr Reddy's looks forward to working collaboratively with the FDA to resolve the matters contained in the Warning Letter. The Mexico facility of Dr Reddy's produces intermediates and active pharmaceutical ingredients.


HDMA honors Lupin with DIANA Award

Lupin Pharmaceutical, the US subsidiary of Indian pharma major, Lupin, was presented with the 2011 DIANA Award by the Healthcare Distribution Management Association (HDMA) for the Best Overall Generic Product Manufacturer among companies, which recorded sales worth up to 450 crore in the healthcare distributor market.

The DIANA award winners are selected by HDMA distributor members. The award is given to recognize companies that continously foster strong trading partner relationships with the association's primary distributor members by creating exceptional business practices that advance trade relations and benefit the entire US healthcare supply chain.

Mr Paul McGarty, president of Lupin Pharmaceuticals, US, while commenting on the award, revealed that Lupin is very pleased and honored with the recognition that it has received from the HDMA.

He added that receiving the award was very exciting, considering the fact that Lupin launched its generics Rx division in December 2005. This award reflected Lupin's unwavering commitment to excellence and collaborative relationships with its trading partners.


Abbott tops Indian pharma industry

Abbott has moved to the top of the Indian pharmaceutical industry ranking, with the acquisition of Piramal Healthcare ethical brands. Abbott now has a market share of 6.8 percent for MAT April 2011. A total sales audit of the Indian market by IMS Health, a provider of market analysis, shows that Abbott recorded a growth of 14.2 percent during the period and its market value was 3,910 crore. Pharmaceutical giants Cipla and Ranbaxy have been pushed to the second and third ranks, respectively, recording a growth of over 13 percent.

GlaxoSmithKline posted 13.7 percent growth, 0.5 percent more than Ranbaxy, but remained at number four with a market value of 2,524 crore. Mankind moved up the ladder with 28.6 percent growth till April 2011. The company, established in 1995, had a market value of 1,804 crore in April this year, with a market share of 3.1 percent. Among the pharmaceutical brands that registered the highest growth since May 2010 were Human Mixtard 30/70, Monocef and Augmentin at 32.2 percent, 22.2 percent and 19.1 percent respectively. Among the top 10 brands, the growth of Phensedyl Cough dropped to 29.1 percent, while Corex recorded a growth of 3.6 percent. Despite the dismal growth rate, Phensedyl Cough moved to the top of the Top 10 list of products in April 2011.

The remaining brands, except Voveran, recorded double digit growth in MAT April 2011. Corex, Human Mixtard 30/70 and Voveran were the top three brands in the retail outlet between May 2010 and April 2011.

Among the Top 10 therapies, the market value of systemic antibacterials and antibiotics in MAT April 2011 was 10,350 crore and it registered a growth of 14.4 percent. Anti-diabetic therapy, which ranked second, was the fastest growing therapy at 23.6 percent but its market share remained way below that of systemic antibacterials and antibiotics at 5.6 percent.

Antacids and antiflatulents recorded the second highest growth rate of 18.2 percent with a market share of five percent. Cough and cold preparation was pushed to the ninth position in April 2011, while sex hormones and stimulants moved up to the seventh rank during the same month.


Mylan to rebrand Matrix laboratories

Mylan will rebrand its Hyderabad-based subsidiary, Matrix Laboratories as Mylan. Mylan, a US-headquartered, multinational generic and specialty pharmaceutical company, purchased Matrix Laboratories, one of the world's largest suppliers of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API), in 2007.

Since then, Mylan successfully integrated the two organizations, along with the generics business of Merck KGaA, to build a global, high quality pharmaceutical platform with 24,750 crore in 2010 revenues, a workforce of more than 17,000 employees and commercial sales in more than 150 countries and territories. Since Mylan's acquisition, Matrix's workforce has grown from approximately 3,800 employees to more than 8,500 employees.

The planned name change is subject to approval of the Registrar of Companies in India. Mylan expects to retain the Matrix name for the institutional ARV franchise, serving NGOs and other alliances. Matrix Laboratories was founded in 2001 in Hyderabad, India, and quickly became one of the world's largest manufacturers of low cost, high quality API. Today, the company has a wide range of products, including those in the anti-asthmatic, antibacterial, antifungal, antiretroviral (ARV), cardiovascular, CNS, gastrointestinal and pain management segments.


Indegene highlights adherence program benefit

Indegene Lifesystems, a scientific partner to global pharmaceutical and life sciences companies, highlighted the benefits that its pharmaceutical clients are reaping through comprehensive and multichannel patient support and adherence programs. Non-adherence to prescribed medication is rampant and is a cause of worry especially in patients with chronic diseases.

This results in patients not achieving the desired health outcomes and increased healthcare costs. Indegene offers an integrated solution that facilitates better health outcomes through personalized reminders, educational resources, specialized contact centers, disease algorithms, and multichannel support through a proprietary platform called “Optimax�. Traditionally, patient intervention programs relied on educational brochures and trained counselors to influence patient adherence. However, many such programs fail to deliver the objective as these programs are not scalable and physician participation is minimal. Most patient support programs go unnoticed due to poor visibility among patients and influencers.

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