The Hindu Business Line : Anglo-French Drugs plans to launch pain relievers

Starting with an umbrella product Kinectine by February and two more in combination in April, the company will come out with a slew of pain relievers built on aceclofenac , according to Mr Abhay Kanoria, Chairman & Managing Director of Anglo-French.

In the Rs 1,100-crore analgesics market that is growing at 16 per cent, Kinectine could turn out to be a nearly Rs 2-crore NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) brand in the first year and double in value in two years, he told Business Line. It would soon have a paracetamol and muscle relaxant combinations drug.

"We are looking at the whole gamut of pain management. In two years, there could be at least 10 painkiller variations and extensions," said Mr Kanoria, whose family owns 51 per cent in the company bought from Roche in 1986.

Anglo-French tested the space over a year ago with coxibs but backed off when adverse reports came in on Cox-2 inhibitors, primarily Vioxx, Merck's banned arthritis drug.

Marketing ties: "We are also exploring marketing tie-ups for products of a few mid-sized companies from Israel, France and Japan. A lot of them are keen on a presence here. That foray will perhaps happen next year," Mr Kanoria said.

For 2005-06, Anglo-French expects a turnover of Rs 75 crore driven by new launches, up from last year's Rs 50 crore. The nutraceuticals, vitamins and proteins basket that contributes 60 per cent of revenue would be the mainstay for 2-3 more years.

Along with Kinectine, an iron supplement, Irofozol AZ in a combination of folic acid and zinc has been lined up in the Rs 500-crore haematinic market.

The plan is to keep up the rate of at least five new launches a year, as in 2005 and 2006. The 300-strong sales force is being expanded by 50 in April.

A Rs 6-crore upgradation is going on at the tablets plant in Bangalore and the injectables unit in Madhya Pradesh.

With 25-35 per cent spare capacities especially in the Madhya Pradesh plant, Anglo-French hopes to get a couple of new contract manufacturing orders. It has been producing Aventis's Combizyme capsules.