Cadila Pharmaceuticals, the Ahmedabad-based pharmaceutical major, has signed a trade agreement with the Brazilian company, Industria Farmaceutica Esterlina LTDA, for marketing its products in Brazil. Cadila Pharma is one of the pharmaceutical majors in India currently looking at Brazil as their key export market for generic products.

The company, which has recently registered its anti-diabetic drug glimepiride in Brazil, is in the process of registering a few more products in the market. However, the company sources said, glimepiride will be the first generic drug marketed by the company through the marketing arrangement with Industria Farmceutica in Brazil. The company is currently marketing this drug in India by the brand name Karmelitus. This is one of the leading dosage brands in the anti-diabetic segment in the country at present.

At present, Cadila Pharma has a dedicated diabetology portfolio. Named as Pharma Diabetology, the diabetology cell of the company offers primarily a basic product basket comprising oral antidiabetics such as sulphonylureas, biguanides, combination drugs and insulins. The company has also entered into a technology transfer agreement for insulin with Polfa Tarchomin, Poland.

In October this year, the Agency National for Vigilance Sanitaire (ANVISA) of Brazil audited the company's bio-equivalence facility at Dholka near Ahmedabad. Though it was the first ever audit conducted by ANVISA in the bio-equivalence centre of Cadila, the sources said that the audit has been successfully completed and the approval is awaited.