Vol. 2, No. 8 August 1998

Number	Subject
020801	Wockhardt, Alembic, Gujarat Themis and Lupin in Cephalosporin Sweepstakes
020802	Phytopharm to Bring Out Anti-obesity Drug
020803	Abbott Goes Small Scale
020804	Cipla Aotuokang JV May Be Called Off
020805	Ranbaxy Raises Equity Capital of Its Netherlands Holding Co.
020806	German Remedies Seeking Shareholder Permission for Investment, Buyback
020807	Lupin Sets Eyes on Cephalosporin Generic Market
020808	Pharmaceutical Companies May Pay More Taxes This Year
020809	Infar (India) to Set Up Plant in West Bengal

020801 Wockhardt, Alembic, Gujarat Themis and Lupin in Cephalosporin Sweepstakes

Alembic Chemicals, Gujarat Themis Biosyn and Lupin are in various stages of taking advantage of the market for cephalosporins opening up around the world. This is because a group of third and fourth generation cephalosporins are going off patent world-wide in the next four years. International prices of 7-ACA is ruling at a price of $ 260 a kg compared to $ 150 three years ago, driven by a good demand.

Meanwhile, Wockhardt is investing Rs 30 core in a cephalosporin bulk drug facility at Ankleshwar, Gujarat. The unit, adjacent to Wockhardt's existing facility will have an initial capacity of 60 tpa of third generation cephalosporins. Talks are on for a tie-up with companies in Europe for marketing. Wockhard is also planning a major foray into medical nutrition for intensive care and diabetic patients.

020802 Phytopharm to Bring Out Anti-obesity Drug

Phytopharm, a small British drug research company has signed a development and commercialisation deal with Pfizer of the US to develop an obesity treatment drug based on a South African plant. P57 is an appetite suppressant extracted from a South African plant.

020803 Abbott Goes Small Scale

Abbott Laboratories has received permission from the government to classify its manufacturing facility at Ankleshwar as a small-scale unit considering that its investment in plant and machinery in 1984 was below Rs 3 crore and it employed less than fifty people. The classification as a small scale unit will avail it of freedom from price control.

Meanwhile, Abbott is planning to enter the hospital products and nutritional products segments in a big way. Glucerman, a complete food for diabetics will be followed by paediatric nutritional products.

020804 Cipla Aotuokang JV May Be Called Off

Aotuokang Cipla, the equal partnership joint venture between Cipla and Zheijang Aotuokang may be called off. The company has been waiting for about four years for a licence, and has now set a three-month deadline before deciding to call it off. One of the first manufacturing Indian joint-ventures abroad, the company was to provide know-how to manufacture a range of formulations including antibiotics and cancer drugs.

020805 Ranbaxy Raises Equity Capital of Its Netherlands Holding Company

Ranbaxy has increased the equity capital of its Netherlands-based holding company - Ranbaxy (Netherlands) BV by $ 20 million. This is to expand its operation in the US, Europe and Africa. Investment to these areas are done by Ranbaxy through Ranbaxy (Netherlands) BV.

020806 German Remedies Seeking Shareholder Permission for Investment, Buyback

German Remedies is seeking permission from shareholders to buy back its shares when permitted to do so. It is also seeking permission to invest Rs 50 crore in the equity of other companies. Investment will be made in other corporate bodies engaged in manufacturing, processing, conversion, selling of pharmaceutical, chemical or healthcare products.

020807 Lupin Sets Eyes on Cephalosporin Generic Market

With Cefotaxime going off patent in Europe, Lupin is gearing up to expand its generic cephalosporin drugs to the European market.

The company expects that this will lead to a turnover of $ 500 million from anti-infectives. Lupin is expecting a market share of 10 per cent in 18 months.

020808 Pharmaceutical Companies May Pay More Taxes This Year

Pharmaceutical companies like: Glaxo India, Hindustan Ciba Geigy, Cyanamid, Burroughs Wellcome, Aristo Pharma, German Remedies, Clariant India and Bayer India are on the course to increased tax remittances judging from advance tax collections during the first quarter of the current financial year.

020809 Infar (India) to Set Up Plant in West Bengal

Infar (India) proposes to set up a third pharmaceutical plant at a cost of Rs 100 crore in West Bengal, in collaboration with its parent Akzo Nobel Group. Akzo will provide all technical know-how to the plant.