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Madhumathi D.S.

Industry sources estimate the domestic respiratory drugs market, growing at 11 per cent annually.

Bangalore , Dec. 26

SYMBICORT, AstraZeneca's anti-asthma inhaler, may make a comeback on the domestic scene.

The Indian subsidiary pulled it back more than a year ago after launching it in the country in November 2003.

"We will take a decision in a few weeks' time about re-launching it," Mr Bhasker Iyer, Managing Director of the Rs 190-crore AstraZeneca Pharma India Ltd (AZPI), told Business Line.

AZPI, part of the Anglo-Swedish drug major, introduced Symbicort Turbohaler as a novel dry powder combination of bronchodilator and corticosteroid in adjustable dosage for adults and children with severe asthma.

At the time of its entry, the inhaler was priced around Rs 900 a unit — just above global leader and competitor GlaxoSmithKline's inhaler.

Mr Iyer said globally, the pricing was comparable; the product was good and was doing well in Europe and other markets.

The drug had to be discontinued as it had lapsed into "diffused marketing" as well as partly for reasons of pricing and positioning. AstraZeneca is reworking its re-launch, this time with a sharper market focus, he said, without giving the details.

Industry sources estimate the domestic respiratory drugs market, growing at 11 per cent annually, at Rs 525 crore and out of them, inhalers such as Symbicort are valued at Rs 270 crore. India accounts for a fifth of the 100 million asthmatics worldwide.

AstraZeneca has an array of respiratory products, which, however, admittedly under performed last year and are being put through remedial measures. The respiratory segment accounted for 18.64 per cent and figured third in last year's total sales of around Rs 190 crore.

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