Sparsha Pharma International, the lone manufacturer of transdermal patches, a medicated adhesive patch that is placed on the skin to deliver a specific amount of drug through skin and into the bloodstream, is planning to launch three products in a couple of months.


The Hyderabad-based company already has a product, fentanyl transdermal patch, in the market. Fentanyl is a potent synthetic narcotic analgesic with a rapid onset and short duration of action. It was given to Dr Reddy’s Laboratories with exclusive rights for one year to sell in the domestic market in 2009 and Dr Reddy’s is marketing the product under the brand name, Finrid. Later, after the expiry of the exclusivity period Sparsha launched the product in the domestic market last year under the brand name, Fen-Touch.


“We are planning to launch two more products in a couple of months and we have already received approval from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for one of the products. Both the products are for pain management. Another product, which is for the treatment of asthma, is in clinical trial stage and will launch in a few months”, Dange Veerapaneni, managing director, Sparsha Pharma International, told Pharmabiz.


The company has a technology collaboration agreement with Japan-based leading transdermal patches manufacturer. Sparsha, with a manufacturing capacity of 1.5 crore transdermal patches per annum, is planning to invest Rs.60 crore in two phases as a part of expansion of its existing facility near Hyderabad. Sparsha is also mulling options to engage in contract manufacturing services


Commenting on the advantages of transdermal delivery, Dange Veerapaneni said that it avoids stomach upset common to orally administered drugs, side effects are less as the drug does not travel to all parts of the body and the drug is not subject to degradation during the first-pass effect as compared many oral drugs.


He said that the market offers huge potential as there are only a few players in the segment across the world. The market, which was estimated at US$ 21.5 billion in 2010, is expected to reach US$ 31.5 billion by 2015.