The Ahmedabad-based Rs 550 crore (Rs 5.5 billion) Cadila Pharmaceuticals Lid has introduced its first skincare product, 'Umrela,' on Tuesday. The new launch is part if its strategy to enter the Rs 1,000 crore (Rs 10 billion) skin care product market.
Though the company officials said that so far CPL has no plan to enter into the Over-The-Counter segment with the new product, but it has been reliably learnt that the company already has four such products in the pipeline and may finally join in the rapidly growing OTC segment.
Umrela, the sunscreen lotion has been launched through the company's specialty marketing division 'La Sante', and the product will be sold through the ethical marketing route adopted for other pharmaceutical products.
Coinciding with the launch of the new product, Cadila is organising sessions between a panel of dermatologists and the consumers in metros and mini-metros for imparting useful tips about skin care and the uses of sunscreen in summer.
"Already we have covered six important centres under the campaign including Mumbai, Chandigarh, Kolkata, Bangalore, Indore and Ahmedabad while such sessions are being planned in other cities as well," said A R Kurup, vice president of Cadila Heathcare.
According to Kurup, Umrela will offer Sun Protection Factor of 20 which is much superior than most of the OTC products in the market. It has the added advantage of Aloe Vera and Vitamin E and the product will be available in user-friendly 100 ml packaging.
"At present we will be marketing the product through the medical paractitioners' prescriptions for the patients seeking advises for skincare and we are exploring further opportunities in this particular segment which we in CPL call it, 'dermatological segment,' with more products to be launched shortly," he said.
"In future the company wants to strengthen the dermatological basket by launching a slew of dermatological products which will also include 'Mollient,' a mosituriser with the advantges of Vitamin E and Aloe Vera, while we expect three-four more products to be unveiled soon," he added.
It is expected that all the products in this range will be launched through 'Le Sante,' division of CPL, which is also handling marketing of respiratory, opthalmology and anti-migraine range.
CPL has already four other products in the dermatological segment which are, Alien, cream to be applied for pimples, Des-OD, an anti-allergic solution, MVit, multi-vitamin specially for the skin problems and also Fluzon, for anti-fungal usage.
But 'Umrela' is going to be the flagship brand of CPL in this segment which later may be taken to the OTC segment.
"Sunscreens market, which comes under dermatological segment, is very young in India and growing at a very fast pace. The uses of sunscreens are increasing day by day and CPL's future plan is to strengthen the dermatological basket by launching a slew of dermatological products," added Kurup.
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