Making a foray in the generics market of Japan, the Zydus Group, Ahmedabad based global healthcare provider and one of the India's leading, integrated healthcare groups, has announced the establishment of "Zydus Pharma Inc.". A wholly owned subsidiary, Zydus Pharma Inc., will market formulation generics and API in Japan.
Zydus Pharma Inc. will initiate the process for registration of products in 2007. Besides marketing generics, the company will also explore collaborations and alliances with Japanese pharmaceutical companies in areas such as joint research and development, co-marketing, contract manufacturing for API, intermediates and formulations. These firms would include branded or specialty firms, generic drug firms and pharmaceutical venture companies, a company release stated.
Zydus Pharma Inc., will be headed by Kazuhiro Kawabata as the president. The company is headquartered at Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan. Kawabata has a long-standing experience of over 30 years in the Japanese pharmaceutical industry and was the director, Corporate Licensing and International Business Development of Eisai Co. Ltd, and managing director of Japanese subsidiary of a foreign pharmaceutical company, besides also holding several important positions.
With increasing medical costs in Japan, it has become essential to avail cost effective medication by sourcing 'generic drugs' of high quality. Zydus' vertically integrated operations and expertise of over 50 years in healthcare, enables it to provide customised, market specific approach for cost effective therapies of excellent quality.
Speaking on the new development, chairman and managing director of the Zydus Group, Pankaj R Patel said, "Meeting healthcare needs with affordable, high quality therapies has been our constant endeavour. We have been engaged in building healthier communities globally and reaching out to people in US, Europe, Latin America and across the world. We now have an opportunity to extend our commitment to the people of Japan. We hope to do this by leveraging our strengths and expertise as a global healthcare provider and providing innovative healthcare solutions".
With operations in US, Europe, Brazil and other emerging markets, Zydus is all set to emerge as a top ten global generics company by 2010 and a global research driven company by 2020. The group posted a turnover of Rs 15 billion in 2005-06.
Zydus has a globally compliant manufacturing infrastructure to support its global generics business. The state-of-the-art formulations manufacturing plant at Moraiya, Ahmedabad is approved by the US FDA, AFSSAPS, France, MHRA, UK, ANVISA, and Brazil amongst others. The plant manufactures complex dosage forms such as transdermals, inhalers (MDI, DPI), suppositories, vaccines, injectables and oral dosage forms such as tablets, hard and soft gel capsules. The group's API plants are also approved by US FDA and AFSSAPS. Zydus Cadila has a strong regulatory pipeline of 39 ANDAs and 40 DMFs.
Investing 10 per cent of its turnover on research, Zydus has more than 500 professionals spearheading its research and development initiatives. More than 230 scientists are engaged in the group's NCE research programme at the Zydus Research Centre, its dedicated research arm. The group's research pipeline comprises 3 INDs ZYH1 for treating Dyslipidemia is in phase II clinical trials, ZYH2 for treating Diabetes and ZYI1 for treating Pain are in phase 1 clinical trials. NCE ZYO1 for treating Obesity is in pre-clinical development.
Zydus has a strong presence in the Indian healthcare market valued at $ 8.8 billion. The group is the leading player in cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and women's healthcare segments. It is also amongst the top players in the respiratory, pain management and anti-infective segments. Twelve of the group's brands feature amongst the top 300-pharma brands in India. The group has successfully forged win-win partnerships in the form of joint ventures and alliances with global pharma majors. With over 6,000 employees Zydus has business operations in more than 40 countries worldwide.