Bausch + Lomb has announced plans to launch a pharmaceutical
business in India
through a strategic agreement with Micro Labs, a leading provider of quality
healthcare products. The partnership will provide Bausch + Lomb with
high-quality manufacturing capabilities in the region that will speed the introduction
of new prescription and over-the-counter medicines targeted at a wide range of
eye diseases.
Through the agreement with Micro Labs, Bausch + Lomb aims to
capture part of the rapidly expanding ophthalmic pharmaceuticals market in India
which is expected to reach US$300 million by 2015. In addition to gaining
access to world class manufacturing capabilities, Bausch + Lomb will establish
dedicated sales and marketing teams, and deliver practitioner and patient
education programs designed to improve the quality of, and access to, eye care.
"With as many as 76% of patients suffering from eye
disease in India going untreated, Bausch + Lomb believes this is a critical
time to enter the market with medicines and education designed to improve patient
outcomes and overall quality of life," said Mr. Dan Wechsler, corporate
vice president and global president, Bausch + Lomb Pharmaceuticals. "Today
ophthalmic pharmaceuticals represent the fastest-growing segment of our
business globally, and our collaboration with Micro Labs will enable us to
enter one of the world's most vibrant yet underserved markets in the world with
high-quality and dependable products that may help people see and live better."
The companies will introduce up to six new pharmaceuticals eye drops including
Moxisurge, Aquasurge, Aquasurge Max, Bromvue, Ketovue and Moxisurge-KT.
Furthermore, the companies have also agreed to explore other areas of possible
collaboration including: "It gives us immense pleasure to partner with
Bausch + Lomb, the most powerful brand in eye health as they enter into the Pharmaceutical
segment in India,"
said Mr. Anand Surana, director, Micro Labs, India.
"Our collaboration demonstrates that pharmaceutical
manufacturing in India
has come of age and our products meet the most stringent global quality
standards." Bausch + Lomb began commercial operations in India in 1992 with its contact lens
and solutions business before expanding into eye-related surgery products in
1996. Today Bausch + Lomb is the market leader for lenses and solutions in India and one
of the fastest growing multinational corporations in Surgical Ophthalmology in
the region.
"Bausch + Lomb is committed to improving the quality of
eye care in India,
and to helping doctors grow their practices and expand the range of offerings
they provide," said Harish Natarajan, managing director, Bausch + Lomb India.
"Our collaboration with Micro Labs will help us do both quickly and with
quality."