Fulford (India) Ltd has signed a country specific marketing agreement with the US-based Merck & Co to market the latter's pharmaceutical products in India. The company, which would start launching the products in the country during the current year, will have products belonging to various therapeutic categories like anti-cholesterol, anti-fungal, anti-hepatitis and anti-retrovirals would be marketed in India by Fulford, said R A Shah, chairman, Fulford India.

"During the current year, half of our new product launches would be from Merck & Co, US. Fulford's parent Shering Plough Corporation has a history of R&D and co-marketing tie-ups with Merck & Co. We plan to extend these co-operation to India by launching Merck's products in the country," said Shah.

Fulford is a 40 per cent subsidiary of Schering - Plough, US. Fulford also has plans to launch new Schering products in the oncology, virology, and CVS specialty ranges. The company manufactures all its products through contract manufacturers.

Remicade (infliximab recombinant). Netromycin (netrilmicin sulfate injection), Elocon (mometasone furoate cream), Integrilin (epifibatide injection), Ethyol (amifostine) and Viraferon (interferon alpha 2B) are some of the major brands of Fulford.

For its first quarter ended March 31, 2004, Fulford achieved net profit of Rs. 44 lakhs against net loss of Rs. 3.3 crore for the previous corresponding period. The net sales of the company for the quarter ended March 31, 2004 was Rs. 23 crore as against Rs. 15.8 crore for the previous corresponding period.