Biovac-B, Wockhardt''s prestigious biotechnology product and pharma industry''s number one new product launched in 2000, is degrowing at the rate of 42 per cent, according to stockists'' sales data. The brand is still the number one in the hepatitis B vaccine segment.

As per the moving annual turnover figures for July 2002, Biovac-B registered a turnover of Rs 25.54 crore with a market share of 26.7 per cent of the total hepatitis B vaccine market of Rs 95.65 crore, sources say.

Biovac-B became India''s first WHO GMP approved Hepatitis-B vaccine soon after it was launched in early 2000. More than 3 million Indians have been vaccinated with the product through hundreds of mass awareness and immunisation programmes conducted by Wockhardt till December last year.

A Wockhardt source associated with the brand said recently that they were taking steps to arrest the brand''s slide, which has been embarrassing the company for some time now. He claimed that the product will be back on track in a short time from now. But this seems difficult considering the presence of a few price warriors in the arena.

GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Ltd''s Engerix vaccine is degrowing at 27 per cent. With a market share of 21.6 per cent, Engerix, the number two hepatitis product, has recorded a sales of Rs 20.66 crore.

The number three brand, HB Vac of Zydus Cadila Healthcare Ltd, has done a business of Rs 16.43 crore, cornered a market share of 17.18 per cent and grown at 132 per cent in the 12 months ending July 2002.

The highest degrowth has been shown by Biological Evans Ltd''s brand Bevac at 87 per cent. It has registered a sales of Rs 1.29 crore and a market share of 1.35 per cent.

Shantha Biotech Ltd''s Shanvac-B suffered the second highest degrowth of 66 per cent with a sales of Rs 4.34 crore and a market share of 4.54 per cent.

Intas Pharmaceuticals Ltd''s Revac-B came third in terms of the highest degrowth at 65 per cent with a sales of Rs 1.12 crore and a market share of 1.18 per cent.

Serum Institute of India Ltd''s GeneVac-B has recorded a positive growth of 55 per cent, a market share of 7.32 per cent and a sales of Rs 6.99 crore.