Zydus France SAS, Zydus Cadila's French subsidiary, is launching 43 generics in the French market. The products fall under six broad therapeutic categories - cardiovasculars, CNS, gastrointestinals, pain management, Type II diabetes and Anti-infectives. The estimated market value of these generics is pegged at Euro 600 mn.

As a part of its plan to aggressively promote generics, the group will be strengthening its presence with 20 more products by December 2004, taking the total number of the generics marketed by Zydus France to 63. By 2006, the group is likely to launch 25 more products, which will be going off patent, an official statement said.

Elaborating on the foray into the French generics market, David Blanksby, vice president and general manager, Europe, Zydus group said " We aim to capture 1 to 3 per cent market share in various product categories by the end of 2006. In the first phase we are focussing our efforts on positioning Zydus France as a company which looks beyond drug dispensing. In line with our mission to create healthier communities globally, we see a more expansive role for ourselves in ensuring the well being of people. We plan to do this by working closely with the pharmacists who form an essential part of the healthcare chain, creating a strong product line and leveraging our distribution strengths."

Zydus Cadila entered the French market with the acquisition of Alpharma France in 2003. The company with its ready distribution network and a pipeline of 109 generics registrations, presented a better platform for the Zydus' entry into the generics market which is now estimated at $1.25 bn and growing at the rate of 30 per cent per annum.