Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) India has received marketing approval for its blockbuster anti fungal drug Cancidas (caspofungin acetate) in the country. The company hopes to clear the import license formalities soon. Cancidas, a USD 600 million drug worldwide, is to be the only drug of its kind with its safety profile with regard to renal toxicity, to be available in the Indian market.

Informing this, Murali Parthasarathy, business unit director, MSD India said that the company is yet to work out the pricing structure for the medicine in the country. Globally Cancidas costs USD 300 per 50 mg. The drug is to prove helpful to patients undergoing kidney transplants and bone marrow transplants.

Cancidas is the third drug launched by MSD since it resumed operations in the country few months ago. The company intends to launch Invanz (ertapenem), another high end product from its international product portfolio by the year end. The company is in the process of securing a marketing approval for the product. The drug brands that have already been marketed by MSD are Aggrastat and Zienam, he informed.

"MSD intends to place itself as a focused company in India. Our marketing teams are in place in cities like Hyderabad, Chennai and Bangalore. We would be taking more people depending upon the requirement. As we have stated, we intend to have a team of 50 professionals in the near future." Parthasarathy said. He hinted that the company would be looking at major institutional sales soon.