How important the US market can be for the Rs 3,356 crore Sun Pharma's business, is clear from the March 2008 quarter numbers: sales from that market alone were up a phenomenal 487 per cent at close to Rs 800 crore. That's why, the Israel-based Taro's decision to back out of a merger with the Indian drug major, is a strategic setback for Sun, which was looking to step up its presence in the US market without spending too much. A one-time gain from the present holding of 34 per cent, will be little consolation.
What worked for Sun in the US market in the March quarter were generics versions of Wyeth's Protonix (used to treat problems in the oesophagus) and Johnson and Johnson's Ethyol (an anti-cancer medication), both launched