"Januvia is a unique product that is much superior to the existing glucoselowering (diabetic) medicines. It has less side effects. Further, the differential pricing we have worked out for India will make the medicine affordable to Indian patients", Naveen Rao, managing director MSD India said.
According to experts, India accounts for over 30 million diabetic patients and is poised to become the diabetic capital of the world
In addition to competitive pricing, MSD is planning to bring in lot of value addition to diabetic treatment using Januvia in India. "We intend to partner with the doctor and help the patient manage his illness better. Merck has such patient friendly value addition programmes for select products in select markets. We are having a re-look at our existing in-line products also to identify possibilities of restructing of prices and introduction of value addition programmes", Rao added.
As part of promoting Januvia, the company has organised over 100 meetings and workshops in 60 Indian cities over the last two months.
Januvia is the fifth product to be launched in India by MSD over the last three years. The medicine was granted a product patent in India in 2007.
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Rao feels that the company is in a position to launch one product each ever six months in the coming years. "Our objective is to become one of the five major players in India by 2015. We should garner at least four per cent of
the domestic market by then", he added.
MSD is also into a recruitment spree with its employee strength expected to double during the year. The company currently employess over 400 professionals. "We are confident of investing in India. Our investments will be in people and support systems. India's new patent regime is on the right track. We are very confident about the country's responsible behaviour", Rao said.