Pfizer may forge generics supply pact with India’s Cipla: Reports

World top drug maker Pfizer may soon form alliance with India’s Cipla to source generic formulations to world’s emerging markets, reports said.

Pfizer and Cipla may sign an outsourcing deal soon, reports indicating that the companies are in actibve discussions for an possible out licensing deal for emerging markets.

In January, Pfizer entered into a collaboration with India’s Strides Arcolab on the supply of 40 generic products.

Pfizer’s deal with Strides Arcolab followed two similar alliances last year with Aurobindo and Claris LifeSciences of India.

Under the new collaboration Pfizer will commercialize Stride’s off-patent sterile injectable and oral products in the United States through its Established Products Business Unit.

These finished dosage form products will be licensed and supplied by Strides and Onco Laboratories Limited and Onco Therapies Limited, two joint ventures between Strides and Aspen, South Africa, in which each has a 50% ownership interest.

In May, Pfizer acquired rights to 55 generic  pills and 20 injectables for more than 70 emerging and developed markets through new deals.

Pfizer Inc, also entered into a licensing pact with Indian generic injectables producer Claris Lifesciences besides expanding it present alliance with Aurobindo.

Pfizer has expanded the existing collaboration with the Hyderabad, South India-based Aurobindo Pharma Ltd reached earlier this year to sell 60 off-patent drugs. Meanwhile Pfizer’s agreement with Claris Lifesciences Ltd is to market 15 off-patent injectable drugs.

Pfizer has prioritized making licensing deals to expand its injectables business, in which it believes there are relatively few rivals and maintains it has a competitive cost structure.

Under the terms of the agreement, Pfizer has acquired rights to 55 solid oral dose products and 20 sterile injectable products for patients in more than 70 emerging market countries in Latin America, Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

These medicines include antibiotics and anti-infectives, and cover a broad range of disease areas like cardiovascular and central nervous system disorders. Pfizer will commercialize the 60 products in phases tailoring its approach for different regions.

Pfizer will gain rights to 60 products to be sold in developing markets, where it is seeking to add $3 billion in annual sales by 2012.

Pfizer’s Established Products Business Unit launched its U.S. Injectables team less than 10 months ago and is already marketing products in the US Through this new collaboration with Strides, Pfizer continues to demonstrate its commitment to become one of the top players in the injectables market.

Cipla has recently acquired two manufacturing facilities for an aggregate consideration of Rs 82.02 crore, the company announced.

It acquired first company with capabilities to manufacture tablets, capsules, oral liquids, injections, liquid and ointments / creams for Rs 51.38 crore at Sikkim.

India’s leading generic firm Cipla Ltd has been reportedly in talks with Pfizer Inc to supply generic products for some time now.

Big Pharma companies have been forging alliances with generic firms recently as part of their efforts to capture the fast-emerging opportunities in generic drugs after the growth in leading markets began to stall.