Merck to invest $15 mn to beef up marketing

Merck & Company, the US based multinational pharmaceutical research and formulations company, has earmarked over $15 million (Rs 65 crore) investment in the country to expand its market reach activities. The company will invest mainly in hiring field personnel for making its products available in more cities.

Merck & Company, based in New Jersey in USA, is a global research-driven pharmaceutical company dedicated to drug discovery, development, manufacturing and marketing of vaccines and medicines in more than 20 therapeutic categories.

As part of this initiative, the company will more than double its sales force by the end of the year. Murali Parthasarathy, director, marketing, MSD Pharma, the domestic subsidiary of Merck & Company said: "We expect to grow by hiring more people and make our products available in more cities as we learn how to market and sell our products. The speed and size of our investments will be dictated by how quickly we are able to learn how to do business in India. There is no limit on how much we will invest. Our primary focus is our customers and the value we bring".

MSD Pharma's sales force expansion assumes significance in the light that multinational companies put on hold their plans to introduce their patented products in India as they are waiting for clarity in the regulatory issues pertaining patent protection.

In the last week, the company introduced its first product - Zienam, a patented product of Merck & Co in India. Aggrastat, a cardiovascular drug, is to be launched soon.

Though these products are not covered under the current Indian Patent Law, there will be four more products coming to India in the near future as they have been registered already, Parthasarathy said.

The new products of MSD Pharma to be introduced in the country include Invanz, an anti-biotic, Cancidas, an anti-fungal and two vaccines, Pneumovax anti-pneumonia) and Varivax (anti-chicken pox). The company is also exploring the possibility of getting into marketing alliances with other Indian companies.

It would be eyeing the therapeutic areas of oncology, neurological disease, metabolic diseases and diabetes. It is also open to entering into in-licensing and out-licensing arrangements with pharma companies here, said the company offIcials.