Torrent Pharma launches 3 specialty divisions

Ahmedabad, Oct 6 (UNI) Ahmedabad-based pharma major, the Rs 1,033 crores Torrent Pharma has launched three specialty divisions - Omega, Sensa and Alfa. The new divisions will cater exclusively to the fast growing niche therapeutic areas of Cardio-Diabeta, Central Nervous System and Gastro segments respectively. ''The launch of these exclusive divisions will not only strengthen the company's presence in these high growth potential segments but will also substantially improve its topline,'' according to a release issued here today.

Omega, the new cardio-diabeta (C&D) division, will exclusively focus on the cardio-metabolic diseases, with special focus on diabetes and nephrology. Torrent, with sales of Rs 180 crore, currently has a 4.8 per cent share in the Rs 3,750 crore C&D market. Omega will complement Torrent's existing C&D divisions, Azuca, Delta and Psycan and will help the company increase its market share considerably.

The new CNS division, Sensa, will focus exclusively on the ailments inflicting the geriatric population. This includes Parkinsons', Alzheimers's and depression that are some of the most prevalent ailments in this segment. The CNS market in India is estimated to be around Rs 1,200 crore of which Torrent has a 5.5 per cent share. It has been growing at almost 2.5 times faster than the industry, clocking 50 per cent growth as per ORG MAT, July this year.

With 60 new field personnel, Sensa will reach out to more specialists in this niche population segment.

The third new division, Alfa is in the mass products segment and will focus on gastro, ortho, and anti-infectives segments. The gastro-intestinal market is worth around Rs 3,000 crore and is growing at 19 per cent. Alfa will join the existing divisions, Prima and Vista, in this category and is expected to substantially push the revenues from this basket from current Rs 262 crores (ORG July MAT 2006). The company plans to deploy around 200 new field personnel in this new division to drive growth.

Torrent Pharma has since long followed a divisionalisation and segmentation strategy to improve its doctor coverage and generate incremental business through the prescription generation route.

The release said quoting Ruchir Modi, Head-Strategic Marketing: ''Divisionalisation will help us launch molecules with greater regularity. This will ensure better doctor coverage, more prescriptions and therefore, higher sales revenues.'' The company has rapidly built up a good CNS and C&D portfolio in the last two years on the basis of their growth potential. Today, Torrent Pharma has eight marketing divisions of which four are dedicated to the CNS segment; the only pharma company in the industry to have so. This is a reflection of the company's focus on these high-potential areas. Its existing divisions, Mind, Neuron and Axon deal primarily with Anti-Epilepsy, anti-Depressants, anti-Psychotics, Anti-Alzheimer's, Neurotonics and Parkinson's.

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