Sun Pharma has decided to focus on dermatology as the fourth engine of growth for its OTC business. The company today announced roll-out of its first dermatology product through the Global Consumer Healthcare (GCH) business. Branded as Suncros, a sunscreen product, offering maximum protection from harmful UV rays till the inner layers of the skin. Currently, marketed as a branded prescription product with proven product efficacy has made it the No 1 sunscreen brand to be recommended by dermatologists in the country, Sun Pharma now launched select variants to market directly to consumers.

The Suncros range has a highly differentiated product mix that provides an offering for all skin types along with superior benefits of matte finish which ensures non greasy texture, water resistant formulation and 6-8 hour substantively.  

Currently, Sun Pharma's GCH business in India markets dietary supplements, analgesics and antacids. The business division's entry into dermatology category offers Sun Pharma's OTC business a larger play into fast moving consumer goods category. Sun Pharm entered the consumer healthcare/OTC business as a result of Ranbaxy's merger into Sun Pharma. It is a high margin, high growth business which the company want to use as a base to create a global consumer entity. It is evaluating various options to grow the business including foray in new products categories and potential inorganic opportunities.  

As a part of its business plans to drive Suncros growth in India, the company will co-promote the brand across both prescription & consumer channel. This first-time unique co-promotion strategy will ensure that the brand reaches out to a larger section of new consumers while ensuring its legacy customers are equally serviced.

Subodh Marwah, business head – GCH, said, “Our foray into the dermatology category is an indicator of the focus and importance Sun Pharma assigns to grow the consumer healthcare business. Suncros offers a unique opportunity to foray into the fast growing sunscreen category and once again repeat our success story in the topical analgesics category. With Suncros being marketed directly to consumers, we are now expanding consumer's access to the country's No 1 dermatologist recommended sunscreen brand.”

Abhay Gandhi, CEO – India Business, said, “Sun Pharma has the largest distribution bandwidth in the prescription business. This will be extensively leveraged to co-promote Suncros brand amongst dermatologists. We believe that our unique first-time co-promoting strategy to market Suncros across both prescription and consumer channels will ensure that the brand continues to receive traction amongst its legacy customers as well as ensure addition of new consumers through the OTC business to drive desired growth for the brand.”

The company has signed former Miss India and Bollywood Actress  Dia Mirza as Suncros' brand ambassador. Her engagement will be supported through an integrated marketing campaign that will aim to reach over a million consumers within the first month of roll-out.

Sun is rolling out three variants of the Suncros brand through the GCH viz., Suncros Soft, Suncros Aquagel with SPF 26 and Suncros Aqualotin with SPF 50 for sensitive skin.