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Ranbaxy launches cardiac drug in US

Our Bureau

NEW DELHI, Aug. 28

RANBAXY Laboratories Ltd (RLL) has launched its generic Enalapril Maleate tablets in the US, through its wholly-owned subsidiary -- Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals Inc (RPI). Company sources said the product had been accepted well and the initial response was sa tisfactory.

Enalapril Maleate -- the cardiac drug -- was launched by RPI on August 23 subsequent to the expiry of the patent. The US drug major, Merck & Co, is the original patent holder of this drug and the sales of the company's brand Vasotec, in 1999, was $806 mi llions.

A RLL release said the company would have its second phase of marketing in the US through its co-marketing partner, Purepac, an affiliate of Faulding, Australia. The company expects to considerably enhance its reach through these two marketing efforts.

The drug itself is being manufactured for RLL by Ohm Laboratories Inc, another wholly-owned subsidiary of Ranbaxy Laboratories. The RLL release added that in view of the successful launch of the drug, the company had doubled production of the same.

However, due to increased generic competition in the market place, there would be expected price pressures and erosion in the segment, the release said. In addition to RPI, the US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has also approved 10 ANDAs for the dru g for companies such as Eon, Par, Chelsea/Watson, Apothecon, Mylan, Wockhardt, Geneva, Lek, Zenith-Goldline.

The release also mentioned that in anticipation of the Enalapril patent and exclusivity expiry, Merck has been promoting Lisinopril at the expense of the former. Ranbaxy, through RPI, has also filed its ANDA for Lisinopril whose patent expires in June 20 02. Lisinopril sales in 1999 was $1,215 millions.

RLL, one of the country's largest pharmaceutical companies, manufactures and markets branded generic pharmaceuticals, bulk substances and intermediates. Ranbaxy's continued focus on research and development had resulted in several approvals in developed markets and significant progress in new drug discovery research, the release said.

The company, which has an expanding international portfolio of affiliates, joint ventures and alliances, has business operations in over 24 countries and manufacturing operations in six countries.