The Hindu Business Line : Charak to extend focus to anti-asthmatic products

ANTI-asthmatic syrups, tablets and herbal-inhalers are some of the innovative products that can be expected from Charak Pharma, as the company looks to extend its expertise to the respiratory, cardiology and dermatology segments.

Traditionally strong in the gynaecology and gastro-related segments, Charak Pharma plans to focus on the mentioned areas and the products are likely to roll out by October this year, said Mr Pulin Shroff, Managing Director. The herbal inhaler was in the development stage and would soon go in for clinical stages, he indicated.

Though allopathic medicine companies were increasingly toying with herbal alliances to keep their product pipelines from drying up, Mr Shroff said that Charak Pharma would look at developing and marketing products on its own . "We are looking at a differentiated strategy to marketing, where there would be field-forces to support the promotion of products in the different categories."

Products in the offing include tablets and ointments for psoriasis and exema in the dermatology segment, tablets for reducing cholesterol and improving heart functions in the cardiology segment.

Unlike other herbal companies in the country, whose products are largely in the over-the-counter category,about 95 per cent of Charak's products are sold only when a consumer presents a prescription for the same. The company ended fiscal 2004 with a sale of Rs 90 crore and expects to grow at 10 to 15 per cent.

With an expanded product portfolio and field-force, the company has set itself a sales target of Rs 200 crore in another five years. Charak Pharma is also beefing up its production facilities by setting up a new plant at Baddi in Himachal Pradesh, which would support its existing work at Silvassa, located in Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

With the commercialisation process of herbal product taking up to one year , Charak Pharma has invested in standardisation of its research studies. The company is in the process of supporting its products with documentation since it already exports to several markets,said Mr Shroff . The company expects its exports to increase from the present Rs 9 crore to Rs 50 crore in five years.

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