AstraZeneca to launch one more medicine this year

Close on the heels of introducing drugs for treatment of cancer and cardiovascular diseases, Anglo-Swedish pharmaceutical major AstraZeneca on Tuesday said it would launch one more medicine this year and two next year in India.

"We have decided to introduce high potential therapies in India. One will be brought in this year itself while two more have been lined up for the next year," AstraZeneca Plc chief executive Tom McKillop told reporters in New Delhi.

The second largest drug maker of Europe introduced drugs for breast cancer 'Arimidex' and cardiovsacular ailments 'Seloken' on Monday in the domestic market.

The company aims to provide effective medicines designed to fight cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases among others, he said declining to give details of the drugs to be introduced.

AstraZeneca India, in which the parent company owns 91 per cent stake with the remaining being with the local shareholders, entered the country in 2001.

The company has set up research centre in Bangalore with an investment of $10 million, while another $30 million would be invested in the next five years. It announced a $40 million investment for tuberculosis research facility in Bangalore on Monday.

Asked why did the company choose India for its research facility, McKillop said it was largely due to the scientific capability of researchers.

No new medicine has been developed for TB for the last 40 years, he said, adding the parent company would apply for patents and the drug would be sold on differential basis.