Rabisin, essentially a Merial product, needs to be administered every year, beginning from when the pet is three months old. Indications are that the product is available in one ml single doses and 10 ml multi-dose packs and has already been added on to the alliance's portfolio. Glaxo India did not respond to queries on this till the time of going to press.

Glaxo India and Merial (which is jointly owned by Merck & Company Inc and Rhone-Poulenc SA) had forged a marketing alliance in early 2000. Under the tie-up, Glaxo would initially market four live and six inactivated vaccines including Lyomarex, Avinew, Dur706, Bioral H 120 and Haemovax (inactive)-used against most common poultry diseases.

"The alliance has obviously been productive and the addition of new products is an indication of growing market needs and renewed confidence in the venture. We expect the Agrivet Farm Care business to register double digit growth," an analyst with an Indian brokerage firm said.

Glaxo had, at the time of announcing the tie-up, indicated that it expects the alliance to add roughly Rs 2 crore to the company's topline during the first year, while growing at around 50 per cent per annum in subsequent years. Glaxo's Agrivet Farm Care business has achieved a sales target of Rs 100 crore in 2000.

The Agrivet Farm Care unit has also launched five products over the past few months. These include Clinar for the treatment of ectoparasites (like mites, ticks and flies) and Prozomin (diminazene diaceturate and phenazone) injection for protozoan parasitic diseases transmitted via ticks, Lixen IU Bolus for helping the discharge of placenta in larger animals and Inflavet Bolus (diclofenac potassium and paracetamol) for non-specific fever. The first two products were launched in early 2001. Glaxo India has been steadily strengthening its Agrivet business over the recent past. The company had earlier acquired five veterinary brands including Nilverm and Zinal (both used for deworming) from ICI India for around Rs 15-20 crore.