The Indian generic companies are well placed to capture about USD 2 billion opportunity in the fight against epidemics like AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB) and Malaria, considering the USD 4 billion funds earmarked by various agencies between 2006-10, said an Edelweiss study.

Several campaigns such as Global Fund for AIDS, TB, and Malaria (GFATM), President Bush's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), Stop TB Partnership, and Roll Back Malaria (RBM) offer funding per annum to the tune of USD 4 billion between 2006-10 translating into an equivalent amount of generic opportunity. Assuming Indian companies to capture 50 per cent market share, it will translate into a USD 2 billion opportunity for the Indian companies.

The report noted that Indian companies have a strong foothold in the anti- infective segment and can address the complexities related to anti-microbial resistance and fixed dose combinations. Indian companies have received the highest number of approvals from the US FDA and other global agencies. Since diseases like TB and malaria are non-existent in the US and other developed nations and since the global generic companies are focused on the US and EU markets, these diseases offer big opportunity for Indian generic companies. Manufacturing cost efficiency with quality and efficient supply chain management is crucial to tap these markets and Indian companies have already proven strength in the field, noted the report.

In the case of AIDS management, the annual average market is estimated to the tune of USD 3,000 million between 2006-10 and already Cipla, Aurobindo, Hetero and Ranbaxy are among the main companies tapping this opportunity. Strides and Matrix are other likely entrants. A USD 450 million annual opportunity in TB management and USD 768 million is estimated in the anti-malarial segment. Already 26 Indian companies are manufacturing combination drugs for AIDS treatment in India.

The study noted that anti-infectives have been the largest therapy class both in volumes and in value in India. Indian pharma companies are lowest cost producers of the most complex and advanced anti-infectives. India already has 97 manufacturers of cephalosporins, 62 quinolones, 74 amipicillin/Amoxycillin, 28 macrolides and 115 other antibiotics manufacturers. Indian companies are the only generic companies in the world to produce the generic versions of all the generations of anti-infective products, noted the study.