Domestic Pharma Sales Slowed In December After A Strong November

India’s pharmaceutical market grew at a slower pace as drugmakers saw a decline in sales of anti-infective, cardiac and anti-diabetic drugs.

Pharma sales grew 8.8 percent year-on-year in December to Rs 12,024 crore, slipping from a 32-month high of 14.5 percent in the previous month, according to data released by AIOCD AWACS—a pharmaceutical market research firm. The growth rate for the quarter ended December was 9.5 percent compared to 9.7 percent in the year-ago period.

Sales of anti-infective, cardiac and anti-diabetic drugs slowed in December, the research firm said. Sales of supportive therapies, which include gastro, pain and vitamins, remained tepid, it said.

While volumes grew at 0.7 percent during the month, growth in prices stood at 5.3 percent and newly launched drugs clocked a 2.7 percent growth. That compares with an average volume growth of 1.9 percent in the last 12 months, price growth of 5.3 percent and new product growth of 2.6 percent.

Other Key Highlights

• Acute, which accounts for 47 percent of the Indian pharma market, grew at 9.2 percent.
• Chronic, which accounts for 33 percent of the Indian pharma market, grew at 11.2 percent.
• Sub-chronic, which accounts to 20 percent of the Indian pharma market, grew at 8.9 percent.
• Anti-infective market grew at 9.2 percent, cardiac at 11.7 percent, gastro intestinal at 8.4 percent.
• Anti-diabetic market grew at 12.6 percent, vitamins and minerals at 9.1 percent and respiratory at 9.6 percent.
• MNCs grew at 5.2 percent for the month compared to 9.7 percent growth for Indian companies.

Here’s how pharma companies fared:

• Among the top 10 pharma companies, Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd. clocked the highest growth of 14 percent, followed by Alkem Laboratories Ltd. at 13.8 percent, Intas Biopharmaceuticals Ltd. at 12.2 percent, Mankind Pharma Ltd. at 11.6 percent and Zydus at 11.4 percent. While the rest of the top 10 companies grew in single digits.
• Among the companies ranked between 11 and 20, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd. showed the highest growth of 22.8 percent, followed by Aristo Pharmaceuticals Pvt. Ltd. at 22.6 percent and Emcure Pharmaceuticals Ltd. at 17.2 percent.
• Among the companies ranked between 21 and 30 , FDC reported the highest growth at 12.8 percent, followed by Franco-Indian Pharmaceuticals Pvt. Ltd. at 12.4 percent and Cadila Healthcare Ltd. at 10.4 percent.
• Among the top multinational companies, Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH grew at 31.9 percent, followed by Reckitt Benckiser Group plc at 28.7 percent and Eli Lilly and Company at 28 percent.