Indigene to make Hyderabad its hub

Indigene Pharmaceuticals Limited, which has operations in the US, Europe and India, proposes to make Hyderabad as a hub for its activity.

"We will be making very high investments in our Hyderabad outfit over the next two to three years," chairman and chief executive officer of the company, M Vaman Rao, told Business Standard, adding that a quantum of investment in this regard would be finalised by this year-end.

In a short span, the company would be investing $10 million in research and development, and clinical work.

Tata Industries Limited has recently picked up nearly 30 per cent stake in the pharmaceutical company, which is focused on developing molecular combination-based products, and prescription and consumer healthcare (CHC) products. Sun Technologies also has a 10 per cent stake in the company.

Rao said that the company was all set to launch four CHC products in the US under its own brand name. The brands include Relaxane ( for stress), Memoryl (for maintenance of memory, Pre-Tense (for nervous tension) and Laxelle (cramp-free laxative for women).

"We will also be launching two prescription products in India by 2007," he said, adding that the company had developed a product for treatment of respiratory disorders. The drug for treatment of Allergic Rhinitis, a common allergic reaction that causes inflammation of the nose, was being subjected to advanced phase III clinical trials in Switzerland. The company would also be conducting clinical trials on it in India.

According to Rao, Indigene has made significant advances in building disease franchise-based prescription drug leads in the areas of respiratory and metabolic disorders, oncology and infectious diseases.The company is currently focusing on product innovation, development and marketing.