Reddy's sets up South African beachhead

Dr. Reddy's Laboratories has announced the launch of a joint venture in South Africa to market its product. Called Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Pvt Ltd, South Africa, (Dr. Reddy's SA), the joint venture has been started in association with Venturepharm Pvt Ltd, a part of the J&J Group of companies with a 60:40 holding, the company said in a release.

The company aims to use South Africa as the gateway towards penetrating and establishing a presence in that region. Dr. Reddy's SA will act as the applicant for local registration purposes and will be responsible for distribution, marketing, sales and business development of Dr Reddy's pipeline and other selected licensed products, the release added.

Meanwhile, an abstract describing preclinical research in Dr. Reddy's atherosclerosis therapeutics program has been selected for presentation at the annual American Heart Association scientific sessions in Orlando, Florida, on November 9.

Atherosclerosis is a disease in which blood-transporting arteries, which are clogged, cause major cardiovascular complications such as heart attacks and stroke.

Current treatment strategies for atherosclerosis are indirect and partially effective. The presentation by Dr. Reddy's will describe scientific findings on a new approach to treatment of atherosclerosis, the company said in a release.

Scientists at Dr. Reddy's, through drug discovery research, have determined that regulating the expression of a specific protein called Perlecan can provide direct protection against this disease.

The company's presentation at this meeting will describe proof of concept experiments which show that controlling expression of perlecan is effective against atherosclerosis in preclinical models of disease, the release added.

The American Heart Association's scientific sessions are the premier meetings for presentation of new scientific information on ardiovascular disease and novel therapeutic approaches to cardiovascular disease.

Africa Ahoy!

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Dr Reddy's has formed a joint venture with Venturepharm

It aims to use South Africa as the gateway for establishing a presence in that region.

The joint venture will be responsible for distribution, marketing, sales and business development of Dr Reddy's.