Lupin Ltd is planning to enter the Asthma market with a range of inhalers targeting the segment. The company also has plans to launch pills for the disease in the near future, said senior company officials.

Lupin is absolutely new to this segment and has created an Asthma division to look into the manufacturing and marketing affairs of its asthma products. The company is also working on NCE and NDDS research on anti-asthma molecules.

"Our Asthma division will become operational from July 30. To start with, we will be introducing a range of inhalers. The inhalers will be outsourced from domestic companies. Our initial focus will be domestic market and later on we will look towards exports," said Lupin officials.

It is learnt that the inhalers will contain drugs like salbutamol, betamethasone and dipropionate.

Inhalation therapy market is dominated by Cipla, a leading drug company in the country. Cipla has captured 75 per cent of the Rs 250 crore a year inhalation therapy market with aggressive pricing and functional inhalers.

GSK, sells in the premium end of the market and enjoys a strong franchise with specialists, especially in metros.

Other players include German Remedies, Sun Pharma, Kopran and AstraZeneca. Nicholas Piramal is understood to be marketing American drug maker Ivax' range of inhalers.

The Indian anti-asthma market is valued at Rs 480 crore, growing at about 17 per cent. According to the Asthma Foundation of India about 10 per cent of the Indian population suffers from asthma.