The new price control regime and boycott of stockists coupled with supply constraints domestically and overseas have badly impacted the GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) results towards the end of the third quarter and bulk of the fourth quarter.  Profits were impacted by around 24 per cent and sales by six per cent due to new drug pricing regime.  

The impact on the results was raised and deliberated by the company officials and shareholders during GSK's 89th Annual General Meeting held in Mumbai. While company witnessed good sales in five drugs which are out of the Drug Price Control Order (DPCO), sales growth declined for 20 products which fall under the new DPCO.   

Despite these impediments, the company plans to launch a new cancer drug this year, a new blood cancer drug and vaccines next year. GSK's Oncology division's vision to improve patient care in cancer management at an affordable price has benefited almost 6000 patients in 2013. GSK vaccine division consumer awareness programme on vaccines preventable diseases and its pneumococcal conjugate vaccine Synflorix became the biggest brand in the vaccines portfolio worth Rs.100 crore in the Indian pharma industry.

Says Hasit Joshipura, managing director, GSK, "Besides this, the mass specialty business recorded a market competitive growth in the prescriber base which has resulted in benefits to patients with Augmentin, an antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections, such as sinusitis, pneumonia and bronchitis gaining significantly in market share. To address health concerns in hypothyroidism, two additional forms of Eltroxin have also been launched coupled with an awareness campaign on congenital hypothyroidism."

With offerings like Uricostat for gout, Cefspan, an anti-infective, Lilo, a statin for lowering blood cholesterol and the Glaxo nutrition range being marketed by GSK pharmaceutical for GSKs Consumer business, Mass Markets comprise the major portion of patients for the company. Also Calpol, a paracetamol brand from GSK remains the top selling prescribed brand of the Indian pharma industry.

As per company's annual report, the need for calcium supplements to address Osteoporosis has been rising out of improper nutrition and sedentary lifestyles in urban India. Brand CCM has ensconced its position as the second largest product in the therapeutic area, becoming one of the top 300 products in the pharma industry in India. Besides this Mycamine for fungal infections has become the second largest product in this therapeutic area. GSK's leadership in the therapeutic area of dermatology continues in the specialty business. Products like Betnovate N, Betnovate C  T Bact, Tenovate in clinical dermatology and cosmetology products like Ansolar and Oilatum sustained growth benefiting increased number of patients.

Launch of CardioCheck in the diagnostics segment has further strengthened the cardio vascular portfolio. The device helps establish the patient's lipid profile in a few minutes. In the respiratory division, Seretide Evohaler has made a mark in the category. Lamictal, from the CNS division has become the third largest prescribed Lamotrogine in treating anti epileptic disease.