The Karnataka drugs control department has permitted the drug major GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) to release the new batches of the drug Crocin Advance with the revised price of Rs.14.84 per strip in the market.  The drug was earlier recalled because of a stop sale order issued by the regulatory authorities for its violation of Drug Price Control Order (DPCO) 2013.

Crocin Advance is now available in the market and it would not cause any inconvenience to the physicians who prescribe it to the patients as they can have easy access to it, Karnataka drugs controller Raghurama Bhandary told Pharmabiz.

“However, the recall of the Crocin Advance strips sporting the old price is on in full swing. We will also ensure that the recall is complete and would cross check this with the quantity produced, sold and the recall numbers. This makes the state drugs control department stay compliant in its drug recall efforts. The stringent surveillance of the enforcement wing would make the pharmacy retailers and the wholesalers wary of indulging in any non-compliance practice,” said the Karnataka drugs controller.

According to the pharmacological experts, Crocin Advance which is a brand extension of the Crocin, an over-the-counter and prescription-driven drug, adopts the OptiZorb disintegration technology ensuring quicker dispersion and absorption to provide sooner relief to the patients.

According to the industry experts, Crocin is seen as first choice in preventing cold and fever. GSK too has come out with versions of Crocin covering Crocin Pain Relief, Crocin Cold & Flu and Crocin Quick to target the fever reducing, cold-flu, pain killer and anti-inflammatory conditions.   There was also Crocin 1000 introduced in 2001 which was withdrawn in 2004.   Indian market brims with leading formulations containing paracetamol in the antipyretic space which included Dolo-650, D’Cold, Calpol, etc. The country’s anti-pyretic and analgesics market registered a growth of 15-18 per cent in 2012-13.