New order for top drug brands

Ranbaxy's Sporidex has been the biggest loser with a 11.9 per cent decline in sales (by value), followed by Alembic's Althrocin whose sales fell 10.7 per cent, and Glaxo's Betnosol (6.6 per cent).

Multinationals Pfizer and Novartis have maintained their leadership position. Pfizer's cough syrup brand Corex and its multi-vitamin megabrand Becosules are ranked first (despite a 2.2 per cent drop in sales) and second, with sales of Rs 87.44 crore and Rs 81.74 crore, respectively. Novartis' Voveran brand (for rheumatism) maintained its number three position, with sales of Rs 76.88 crore.

The multinationals' loss has been Indian companies' gain. Himalaya Drug Company's Liv 52 has climbed from ninth to seventh rank, Alkem Laboratories' Taxim similarly moved up from the fifth rank to fourth and Ranbaxy's Cifran from seventh to sixth.

E Merck's Neurobion, with sales of Rs 61.98 crore (representing a growth of 7.6 per cent) is the new entrant in the top 10 list, at number eight, while Dr Reddy's Nise has dropped out of the list.

GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals, on the other hand, has seen its leading brand Betnesol slip to the number 10 spot from number eight, an year ago. Betnesol, an anti-inflammatory drug, saw a 6.6 per cent drop in sales during the period.

Alembic's erythromycin brand Althrocin slipped from its fourth position a year ago to the fifth rank, with sales declining 10.7 per cent to Rs 68.04 crore. Sales of Ranbaxy's antibiotic Sporidex dropped 11.9 per cent to Rs 61.58 crore, thus pushing the brand from number six a year ago to number nine.

Alkem Laboratories' Taxim, Himalaya Liv 52 and Ranbaxy's Cifran reported sales of Rs 74.24 crore (down 6.7 per cent), 63.15 crore (up 2 per cent), Rs 64.12 crore (down 8 per cent), respectively.