Core Healthcare vice-president (technical) Prashant Desai said the company had been working on this product for the past two years and all clinical trials to establish its safety and efficacy were conducted in India. Core had, however, interacted with Japanese and German research firms in the initial stages of the project.

It had earlier developed the technology to manufacture parenteral fat emulsion; Profol uses a similar technology wherein the intravenous fat emulsion is the vehicle.

Propofol was originally discovered by Zeneca. The product went off patent in 1997, opening up wide export opportunities for the Core group. Globally,the sales of the patented product were at 600 million in 1996.

Core, Desai said, was in the process of seeking registration of Profol in eight countries including those in Latin America and the Asia-Pacific. The company, however, plans to rely on its own overseas distribution set-up in most markets. The company can manufacture up to three million vials per annum at its facility. Core's Profol brand is priced at Rs 195 per 20 ml vial and Rs 400 for a 50 ml vial.

Unlike existing anaesthetic products like thiopentone and medazolam, Profol does not induce nausea, vomiting and drowsiness associated with prolonged sedation. "Profol offers controlled sedation backed by swift and clear-headed recovery," Desai said. It also facilitates significantly lower post-surgery monitoring of the patients by the doctors.

Although there are no absolute contraindications to the use of propofol, it is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to a propofol injection or its components.