MUMBAI, Dec 23: The US-based health-care giant Pfizer has decided to take on branded generic competition in the country by re-working its sourcing strategy for the active ingredient in key cardiovascular drug, Amlogard. Pfizer's re-think has seen Amlogard's re-launch at about Rs 6 a tablet, 77 per cent cheaper than its original cost of Rs 26.2.

Amlogard, an original research product of Pfizer Inc, USA, was launched in the domestic market in 1993-94, but withdrawn in 1996 owing to its widespread copying. Analysts, however, say the drug failed owing to its poor-pricing strategy. Pfizer is now buying Amlogard's active ingredient, amlodipine, from domestic drug company Kopran as against its earlier policy of importing the bulk drug, industry sources said. There is, however, no exclusive supply arrangement between the two companies. Significantly, Kopran itself has recently entered this market with its brand, Klodip. Experts say amlodipine is available at about Rs 8,000-9,000 a kg in the domestic market as against a CIF price of about $1,350 a kg (close to Rs 53,000), a whopping 558 per cent higher.

Kopran is understood to have undertaken certain minor alterations in its production process to meet Pfizer Inc, USA standards, though no official confirmation on this was available.

Kopran manufactures amlodipine at its Mahad facility, according to the internationally approved standards and has a capacity of about 300-400 kg per month. Analysts said while Amlogard was originally priced at about Rs 26 per tablet, domestic brands were available at as low as Rs 5 a tablet, a clear indication of Pfizer's failure to understand the price sensitivity of the domestic market.

"The re-launch at lower prices will give domestic brands a run for their money," an analyst added. Major players in this segment include Torrent Pharma, Cipla, Sun Pharmaceuticals and Lyka Laboratories.

Pfizer, has over the past year, withdrawn six drugs in various therapeutic segments from the domestic market owing to its widespread copying and their economic unviability. The company is also understood to be examining the feasibility of similar re-launches of Zithromax (azithromax) and fluconozole formulation (an anti-fungal). Pfizer's Zithromax was priced at about Rs 590 per six capsules, while competitors Alembic (Azithral) and Wockhardt (Aziwok) had priced their products at Rs 132 and Rs 144 respectively.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.