Anti-rabies Vaccine Leader

Aventis Pharma leads the anti-rabies vaccine market in India, having a market share of 60 percent.

Aventis Pharma

Business: Marketing of biotechnology products

CEO: Dr Shailesh Ayyangar (MD)

Biotech Revenue: Rs 119.65 crore

Address: Aventis House, 54/A, Sir Mathuradas Vasanji Road, Andheri (East), Mumbai - 400 093

Tel.: 91-22–28278000

Fax: 91- 22-28370939

Website: www.aventispharmaindia.com

Although there was a drop of 8 percent in its market share, Aventis Pharma continued to lead the anti-rabies vaccine market in India having a market share of 60 percent. This drop was mainly because of competition in the market with competitors increasing their presence in the market. Aventis Pharma markets the rabies vaccines under the brand Rabipur. Besides vaccines, it is also into insulin glargine business with its product Lantus. Its overall biotech sales for the year 2006-07 reached Rs 119.64 crore. In 2005-06, its biotech turnover stood at Rs 114.5 crore against the previous year's sales of Rs 84.3 crore.

Besides Rabipur, Aventis sells other vaccines such as Vaxem HIB and Imovax Polio. Lantus, the world's first long active Insulin glargine is a star in its portfolio for diabetes treatment in India. To bring awareness about the diabetes management, Aventis has launched a unique patient education program Sath 7 that has a dedicated team of five counselors, who work in close cooperation with doctors to educate patients on insulin use, diet, exercise, and other issues related to diabetes management. It has given successful results in terms of sales too. Lantus is gaining acceptance as the preferred way to treat patients of diabetes. It is now the fourth largest insulin brand in the country.

Although Aventis Pharma does not conduct any basic research, it has carried out process development and clinical trials for existing and future products. A large-scale practice survey of diabetes management across the country was completed in over 100 centers covering 1,300 patients. The second wave of the study will be conducted during the year in another 8 diabetic centers. Another clinical survey in patients of gastric cancer was completed in over 300 cases in four cancer hospitals in India. Another study was carried out in over 500 diabetic patients who failed to respond to oral treatment to observe the effects of insulin treatments including Lantus. A study of Lantus in fasting patients of diabetes demonstrated its safety and the results were presented in an international conference held in Morocco.

Aventis has two manufacturing facilities at Ankleshwar and Goa. Its Ankleshwar site is shared with Chiron Behring Vaccines Pvt Ltd (CBVPL) and Aventis CropScience. The CBVPL is a JV company in which Aventis holds 49 percent stake. CBVPL will manufacture anti rabies vaccines for Aventis upto April 2008.