The Hindu Business Line : Natural Remedies plans to enter human healthcare segment

BULK herbal extracts major Natural Remedies Private Ltd has announced its plan to enter the national human healthcare segment with Aller 7 or NRA2, said to be the first herbal solution for allergic rhinitis.

"The product is already in the US and developed markets and we are actively looking for alliances to market the product in India, South and South-East Asia. The marketing route would depend on the partner," said Mr Anurag Agarwal, COO of the Rs 30-crore company. The company holds the patent for NRA2, a formulation of seven herbs, in 30 PCT countries and entered the US through InterHealth Nutraceuticals, which is also one of its major bulk extracts customers.

The global market for an herbal solution for allergic rhinitis could touch $4.5 billion. Natural Remedies has set up a new $1-million manufacturing facility that would meet the GMP standards of the regulated markets of the US, Australia, Japan and Europe. The 24,000 sq ft facility will be mainly for producing Aller7 and subsequently its six other pipeline solutions to target chronic conditions including diabetes, anxiety, obesity, dental caries, constipation and sexual inadequacy, Mr Agarwal said. The product is currently being produced at an associate unit at Karwar. The new facility at Veerasandra near here would add 300 tonnes the capacity up by 300 tonnes a year.

With the global herbal market estimated at $4 billion, Mr Agarwal said, "India is increasingly being looked upon as a future source of natural solutions. The need is for standardised, quality solutions."

These products are in various stages of development and the next one was likely to enter the market in 12-18 months. "We are only looking at chronic diseases for developing natural and safe options," Mr Agarwal said.

The company is at the top in the herbal vet care segment with a 25 per cent domestic market share and revenue of Rs 20 crore (2002-03). The diversification plan into human healthcare started over six years ago when it set up a multi-disciplinary $1-million R&D centre. The research team has taken seven domestic patents, filed 13 more along with two PCT applications for its herbal products.

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