Pfizer's multi-vitamin Becosules continues to remain the top selling brand according to market research agency ORG Marg for the period till, August 2001. Among the faster growing brands is Glaxo's anti-ulcerant Zinetac (ranitidine) which saw a growth of 20 per cent for the same period.
Becosules, at Rs 77 crore turnover, saw a growth of 4.6 per cent growth. The number two product is Corex, a cough syrup, again from Pfizer Ltd which, at Rs 74 crore turnover, saw a two per cent growth. In the third position is Novartis' non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug Voveran. At Rs 69 crore turnover, the drug saw 4.4 per cent growth.
Alembic's Althrocin takes the fourth position at Rs 65 crore turnover with a dip in growth of three per cent. Zinetac stands fifth in the ranking. Ranbaxy's Sporidex, an antibiotic, comes sixth with a turnover of Rs 61 crore and again a negative growth of four per cent.
Ranbaxy's ciprofloxacin brand Cifran has registered a negative annual growth of 11.7 per cent for the same period and is the last in the top ten products list. According to analysts, the anti-infectives market has been witnessing declining sales volumes and margins due to the presence of an abundance of branded and unbranded products forcing companies to cut prices. "As a segment, anti-infectives has a short life span," said an analyst with a private broking firm.
Ranbaxy has recently filed exclusive marketing rights (EMR) for Cifran OD a once-a-day formulation for ciprofloxacin. Ciprofloxacin faces competition from local and multinational players alike. The Ahmedabad-based Torrent Pharmaceuticals is also expected to introduce its once-a-day dosage of ciprofloxacin.
The Himalaya Drugs Company's Liv-52, health supplement of liver diseases, stands seventh with a turnover of Rs 58.4 crore and a growth of three per cent. Last year, Liv 52 was the fourth largest in terms of turnover. In the eighth position comes Taxim of Alkem Laboratories with Rs 57.9 crore turnover with a minus 9 per cent growth. Betnesol (betamethasone) of Glaxo at the ninth position saw a 13.6 per cent growth and has an annual turnover of Rs 56.6 crore.
