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CubeX-OTC Newsline Issue No. XIX (www.cubex.co.in)
INDIA HIGHLIGHTS
MEGATRENDS TO RESHAPE INDIA
Urbanization – rise in the number of mega cities, growing working population in the age group of 15‐64
years and the increasing usage of smart phones are all "megatrends" that will reshape India in the next
decade. Anand Rangachary of Frost & Sullivan, said: "As India is on the threshold of emerging as the
world's second‐fastest growing economy, megatrends can help companies harness this potential to be
more proactive and innovative in their growth strategies.” Broader possibilities are presented by the
healthcare sector, anticipated to be worth $276bn in 2020, versus $50bn in 2011, aided by "medical
tourism" and the roll out of digital platforms.
(http://www.warc.com/Content/News/Megatrends_to_reshape_India.content?ID=b50a65c1‐4560‐
4137‐ad0d‐e032fbcdd2c5)
Comment: Mega trends will give way to sizeable opportunities for various companies across different
industries and pharma industry is no different. Digitalization has been accepted widely with the use of
Facebook and QR codes. Also, the launch of innovative health apps, which help one to check their blood
pressure, blood sugar levels and report fluctuations to their doctors in real time for immediate action,
will steadily become popular. These moves are an example of how emerging markets like India are
increasingly becoming a part of the “connected world”.
AVESTHAGEN FLOATS JV WITH SAVA MEDICA TO SELL NUTRACEUTICALS
Biotech major Avesthagen has partnered with Sava Medica Ltd of Pune to float 50:50 joint venture
subsidiary — Dhanvantari Botanicals — to market a range of nutraceuticals products in the US and BRIS
(Brazil, Russia, India and South Africa) countries. Through this joint venture, Avesthagen grants and Sava
Medica earns marketing rights for Avesthagen's seven over‐the‐counter (OTC) tablet (including child‐
convenient dose such as fast‐dissolving tablet), capsule and liquid formulations. Dhanvantari Botanical's
product basket includes 11 OTC brands positioned for the wellness and nutraceutical markets. They are
AmlaPure, Ashwagandha, BosWell, Gymnema, ThinkWell, Tribulus, Triphala, TriplaLax, WinterWell,
XanoMax and GojiMax and a few qualified bulk ingredients.
(http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/article2585643.ece)
Comment: VMS market is as big as US$ 680.30 mn and recorded a growth rate of 8.35%. Nutraceuticals
is the buzz word in the pharma market today. This category is niche but has been observing a lot of
attention in the recent past. As covered in previous issues of Cubex‐OTC Newsline, India has seen a lot of
new launches in this space. This slew of new launches, mainly through JVs of foreign and Indian
companies, is certainly paving the way in the under‐served Indian nutraceutical market. Relatively
unexplored segments like obesity, women’s health, skin health, energy enhancement etc have been the
prime targets.
We plan to launch an India‐centric study on health and wellness needs of consumers and opportunities
that exist in the nutraceutical space. We welcome your ideas and look forward to discussing the same
with you. You can contact us at [email protected] or [email protected].
SOCIAL STIGMA LEADS TO 22% DIP IN VASECTOMY
Indian men don’t really swear by sterilization. The number of men undergoing a vasectomy — a 10‐
minute walk‐in‐walk‐out operation — has dipped by about 22% in 2010‐2011, as compared to the
previous year. In absolute numbers, over 50,000 fewer men underwent vasectomy in 2010‐11 as
compared to 2009‐10 — from around 2.7 lakhs to to 2.16 lakhs. Bihar saw a 55% fall in the number of
men opting for vasectomy in 2010‐11 as compared to the previous year, while Orissa, Maharashtra and
Uttar Pradesh recorded a drop of 47%, Kerala (46%), Karnataka (45%). The corresponding figures for
Delhi were (59%). Only about 10 states have recorded over 10% increase in vasectomy, including Sikkim,
Punjab, Himachal, Delhi, Tripura, Manipur, Uttarakhand and Jharkhand.
(http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Social‐stigmas‐lead‐to‐22‐dip‐in
vasectomy/articleshow/10561792.cms)
Comment: In a country like India which is prudish in talking about sexuality, sterilization is still
considered as a taboo. Also it is a well‐known fact that males are reluctant to use any kind of
contraception, skewing the onus of contraception towards women. This also helped in ECPs to gain
popularity overnight. NRHM has been undertaking measures across the country to educate the masses
about the importance of modern medical treatments such as vasectomy. The rise in Emergency
Contraceptives Pills /abortion cases and reduction in sterilization only helps us infer that there are
certain deep‐rooted myths which can be broken by altering the mindset of the people.
PRICE CONTROL MAY COVER 60% MEDICINES
The chemicals and fertilizers ministry has proposed a new drug pricing policy to bring nearly Rs 29,000
crore worth of medicines sold in the domestic market under direct price control. The move will have a
major impact on the domestic drug industry, as the percentage of drugs under price control in the
proposed National Pharmaceutical Pricing Policy 2011 will rise to about 60 per cent of the Rs 48,200
crore domestic pharmaceutical market. The current reach of price control on drugs sold in India is in the
range of 20‐30 per cent. The proposed policy aims at bringing all 378 medicines under the National List
of Essential Medicines (NLEM) of the health ministry under price control. While the existing policy
covers 74 bulk drugs (raw materials) and their formulations (final medicine) under price control, the
proposed one will include 663 types of specific formulations mentioned in the NLEM.
Comment: The proposed policy, if it were to be implemented, may have serious consequences. While
the top line of most pharma companies may increase, the big question is on the bottom line. The
government must ensure that the policy does not lead to a shortage of essential drugs.
10 DESI SUPERFOODS
A guava may not be as photogenic as a Granny Smith and bhindi may not have the glamour of broccoli
but these humbler foods deliver important nutrients too. After all, healthy diets are like healthy
investment portfolios — diversified. Goji berries, Californian grapes, Norwegian salmon, American
blueberries, and South American quinoa seeds. Shelves in supermarkets and even the neighbourhood
kirana store are stocked with these and many other exotic foreign foods with glossy labels advertising
their health benefits. There is a list of local superfoods — cheap, best and found in your backyard which
helps you stay fit and healthy. A few of them include coconut, guava, amla, pumpkin, custard apple,
seeds, ginger, coriander etc.
Comment: While each of this “super food” is power packed with vital nutrients, unless the plate is filled
with all of them, one is unlikely to receive the RDA of vital macro and micro nutrients. This is where the
opportunity lies for companies vying to carve a niche in the nutraceutical space by offering a single
product that fulfils all the requirements. However, the fight of organic vs. inorganic can provide serious
competition to the up‐and‐coming nutraceutical products.
GLOBAL HIGHLIGHTS
FDA FINDS NO MORE RISK WITH CHANTIX THAN NRT
The FDA has reviewed the results of two studies that evaluated the risk of neuropsychiatric adverse
events associated with Pfizer’s Rx smoking cessation pill Chantix (varenicline). Neither study found a
difference in risk of neuropsychiatric hospitalizations between Chantix and nicotine replacement
therapy (NRT). However, both studies had a number of study design limitations, including assessing only
neuropsychiatric events that resulted in hospitalization, with a sample size not large enough to detect
rare adverse events. The FDA continues to evaluate the risk of neuropsychiatric adverse events with
Chantix, while results from a large safety clinical trial by Pfizer are expected in 2017.
Comment: Anti‐smoking campaigns have been on an overdrive in the recent past to wane people away
from nicotine addiction. If the results of the clinical trial prove that Chantix has adverse effects, it may
derail the campaign to some extent as motivation to quit smoking is generally low and unsustainable.
OTC UNION HIGHLIGHTS IMPORTANCE OF SELF‐MEDICATION
The Japan Federation of OTC, established in July 2011, has submitted a request to the Ministry of
Health, Labour & Welfare expressing the importance of promoting self‐medication to save the
Government money from increasing healthcare costs. The Union suggests that a change to taxes on
OTCs would promote their use, while education would improve public knowledge of self‐medication. In
addition, more switches are necessary and the approval process should be faster in order for companies
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