On the company's plans to take on the challenges of the product patents era, Batra said, "We are negotiating with a few mid-sized European companies for licensing out of products launched in other parts of the world and products which are under phase three clinical trials. We areconfident of tie-ups towards the end of 1999."

JK Drugs & Pharma has also revamped its bulks strategy by zeroing in on intermediates as a thrust area, even while widening the company's product basket. "Our core strength lies in cephalosporins, and we have broad-based our initial product mix of cephalexin, cefadroxil, and cephradine by introducing high-value, new-generation cephalosporins like cefixime, cefotaxime sterile, ceftriaxone sterile and cephradine arginine sterile. The latest generation macrolides like clarithromycin and azithromycin have also been introduced," he said.

Other indigenously-developed products in the pipeline for the current year include cefuroxime axetil, ceftazidime sterile, and cephradine carbonate sterile. The company has also drawn out a strategy to enter the area of new-generation non-antibiotics and drug intermediates by the beginning of 2000, and developmental work on this front is under progress.

Batra added that the business potential for intermediates was very good,especially for the developed markets, as most international companies were outsourcing the key intermediates for various bulk drugs. "To mark our presence in the developed/regulated markets, we intend working through long-term supply arrangements with international companies. As a first step in this direction, we have joined hands with a leading bulk-drug company for supply of intermediates/bulks."