Pharmacy

Dr Reddy's Labs (DRL), India's second-largest pharmaceutical company has entered the race to acquire Doktor Mom, one of the largest selling Over-The-Counter (OTC) ranges of drugs in Russia & the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), along with Johnson & Johnson (J&J) who is also in talks to buy Doktor Mom, according to various sources.

Doktor Mom, a range of cough and cold products, is owned by Mumbai-based JB Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals. With

annual sales of ? 200 crore, it is the company's largest OTC brand. The range is marketed in Russia and the CIS countries by Unique Pharmaceutical Laboratories, a JB Chemicals subsidiary. J& J and JB Chemicals were in talks for a while now, and DRL joined the race only recently. According to industry sources, the deal could be in the range of $250-300 million.

Last year, DRL had entered into an agreement with Cipla for exclusive rights to market a portfolio of OTC and prescription products in Russia and Ukraine. It also signed a similar agreement with UK-based Vitabiotics Ltd for a range of nutraceutical products for Russia and some CIS countries.

In 2009-10, DRL recorded sales of Rs. 910 crore in Russia & the CIS markets as against? 762 crore in 2008-09. According to analysts, DRL's sales in Russia will grow 21 per cent to Rs. 1,100 crore in 2010-11. The contribution from Russia & the CIS markets is expected to grow to 15 per cent.Dr Reddy's Labs (DRL), India's second-largest pharmaceutical company has entered the race to acquire Doktor Mom, one of the largest selling Over-The-Counter (OTC) ranges of drugs in Russia & the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), along with Johnson & Johnson (J&J) who is also in talks to buy Doktor Mom, according to various sources.

Doktor Mom, a range of cough and cold products, is owned by Mumbai-based JB Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals. With

annual sales of ? 200 crore, it is the company's largest OTC brand. The range is marketed in Russia and the CIS countries by Unique Pharmaceutical Laboratories, a JB Chemicals subsidiary. J& J and JB Chemicals were in talks for a while now, and DRL joined the race only recently. According to industry sources, the deal could be in the range of $250-300 million.

Last year, DRL had entered into an agreement with Cipla for exclusive rights to market a portfolio of OTC and prescription products in Russia and Ukraine. It also signed a similar agreement with UK-based Vitabiotics Ltd for a range of nutraceutical products for Russia and some CIS countries.

In 2009-10, DRL recorded sales of Rs. 910 crore in Russia & the CIS markets as against? 762 crore in 2008-09. According to analysts, DRL's sales in Russia will grow 21 per cent to Rs. 1,100 crore in 2010-11. The contribution from Russia & the CIS markets is expected to grow to 15 per cent.