Alembic Limited, currently the largest cephalosporin manufacturer and one of the pharma majors in the country, has been granted permission by DCGI to manufacture and market Cefetamet Pivoxil Tablets, the III rd generation cephalosporin for the first time in India. Alembic has received permission to market the bulk drug as well. Presently Alembic is the only company, which has mastered the technology of producing this highly labile molecule in the country.

According to company sources the launch of Cefetamet is a significant milestone in the research endeavor of the company as it will be able to bridge the entire value chain from basic API intermediate, Ceph-C, to the finished formulations. The launch is also a step forward in overall strategy of the company to acquire leadership in the antiinfective market by targeting the Rs. 900 crore cephalosporins market.

Due to its balance coverage of various pathogens, Cefetamet Pivoxil has demonstrated efficacy in a variety of clinical infections. Commenting on the achievement, Atul Barman, vice president, Alembic, said that “Cefetamet provides an ideal option for early switch of patient from injectable cephalosporin to oral one, thus, reducing overall economic burden of a hospitalized patient.” The molecule, which is available in around 17 countries including many European countries will definitely make its mark in India too,” Barman added.

Alembic would be launching the formulation in the market in within next four weeks under the brand name 'Altamet'. “We are targeting to cross 6-cr turnover in the very first year of its launch of Altamet,” said Barman.