The Hindu Business Line : AstraZeneca set to acquire first brand soon

The acquisition, the number, therapy or value of which AstraZeneca Pharma India's (AZPI) Managing Director, Mr Bhasker Iyer, declined to share yet, would be the first by any AstraZeneca subsidiary worldwide.

He merely said, "We are committed to acquiring brands - or divisions — where it is a logical fit and makes sense on financial or strategic criteria."

At the same time, the company has been ramping up its portfolio with the original AZ brands, especially in the anti-cancer space, Mr Iyer told Business Line.

The weeks-old entrants are Casodex for prostate cancer and Iressa for lung cancer, which means five of the parent company's seven oncology brands have now come in. Another major anti-cancer product could follow towards 2006-end.

The increased focus on oncology is in tune with AstraZeneca's global strategy of becoming the leader in cancer treatment by 2008, Mr Iyer said.

"Globally we are already a strong player. We have just begun this journey in India and expect it to clearly be a big contributor (to the turnover)," he said. The segment, which today accounts for a small 5 per cent of sales for AstraZeneca Pharma India, would be a dominant second to cardiovasculars in a couple of years.

AZPI is putting together an oncology roadmap to get greater visibility in the market, among doctors; for possible partnerships with cancer research institutes, and also to get involved in clinical trials directly or through a third party. Investments would be made in market research, gearing up the sales team and advertising.

AstraZeneca Pharma India, with a 2004 fiscal turnover of Rs 190 crore, is billed the fastest growing MNC in the country: its growth rate is 22 per cent (as per ORG-IMS) compared to the average rate of under 4 per cent for the top 10 MNCs. "We are still a nascent company considering that AZ was formed in 2001 (out of the Astra-IDL joint venture)," Mr Iyer said.

"We expect that by the end of the decade we will break into the top-5 league of MNCs in India."

Cancer apart, AstraZeneca Pharma India plans to make a few launches in maternal health and critical care in 2006 and is mulling formulations and brands uncharted by it in the country.

The UK-based parent AstraZeneca plc, he said, is serious about India, more so since the passage of the Patents Bill last year. In the past two years, an $11-million investment has flowed into the ongoing Process R&D facility for advanced drug discovery phase, and the facility is due to open in November 2006.

In an indication of collaborative plans, the parent this year tied up with Torrent Pharmaceuticals to initiate joint discovery of a hypertension molecule and signed an MoU with Nicholas Piramal.