As the German drug regulatory authority has approved Aventis (India) Pharma's manufacturing site in Goa for Daonil (glibenclamide), the company is expecting to commence its initial exports to Europe shortly. The Goan facility of the company has been recently registered as an additional manufacturing site for making glibenclamide 5 mg and 2.5 mg tablets for Germany, Canada, Austria and France, by the parent company.

Daonil is the number one brand in the oral anti-diabetes market with a market share of 7 per cent.. In the long run, Aventis is having plans of outsourcing insulin Lantus from India, said Alexandre de Carvalho, managing director, Aventis India, while speaking at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the company today in Mumbai.

The global merger of Aventis with Sanofi Synthelabo is expected to be completed by July 2004, said, Vijay Mallya, Chairman, Aventis India. "The merger between Aventis India and Sanofi India will definitely happen. The merger in no way is likely to affect Aventis' new product launches in India or outsourcing plans," said Carvalho.

In his speech Mallya said, "The amendments to the Drug policy announced in February 2002 have not yet been implemented. The SC has directed the government to review drugs, which are life saving in nature and formulate appropriate control to ensure that these drugs do not fall out of price control. The new price control order therefore has not been announced. We would like to wait and watch to see what stand the new government would take in this matter."

The company will continue to focus on top line growth in sales and growth in operating profits, he added.