Bausch & Lomb plans pharma foray

Bausch & Lomb (B&L) is planning to foray into pharamaceuticals business in India through its Indian arm Bausch & Lomb Eyecare (India) Private Ltd.

The company already has two divisions in India for and is currently assessing the Indian market to launch its pharmacy division in the country.

"We are exploring the Indian market conditions for launching our pharmacy division. However, nothing has been finalised as yet," J P Singh, managing director, Bausch & Lomb Eyecare (India) Private Ltd told Business Standard here on Wednesday.

As of now, the company does not sell prescription-based drugs or over-the -counter drugs in India.

Indian vision care segment, having over 70 per cent of the Rs 70 crore contact lens market.

In India, the company's vision care sales amounted Rs 50 crore of the total turnover of Rs 100 crore in the last financial year and the company expects a turnover exceeding Rs 120 crore, a growth of over 20 per cent, this year.

The company's vision care business manufactures and markets the world's most comprehensive line of eye care products, which include soft and gas permeable (GP) contact lenses, lens care products for soft and GP lenses, eye care products, vision accessories, such as magnifiers and eyeglass accessories amongst others.

Similarly, the company's ophthalmic surgical division offers a comprehensive line of products for ophthalmic surgery and is dedicated to continued innovation.

B&L is the leading player in the The parent company was founded in 1853, and is headquartered in Rochester, New York.

Bausch & Lomb's 2004 revenues were US $ 2.2 billion with employing over 12,000 people worldwide and its products are available in more than 100 countries.