Nicholas Piramal India Ltd, the Mumbai-based Rs 1,016.60-crore healthcare major, has acquired four pharmaceutical brands from American multinational Eli Lilly & Co. In India these brands have been manufactured and marketed in India by Eli Lilly-Ranbaxy, a 50:50 joint venture company promoted by Eli Lilly and Ranbaxy Laboratories.

The products include dermatology brand Lovir (acyclovir), mucolytic agent Mucokef (cefalexin and bromohexine combination), and cephalosporin brands Zidime (ceftazitime) and Keroxime (ceforixime). "Together, they account for around Rs 7 crore annual sales", according to Madhav Joshi, vice president, marketing, Nicholas Piramal.

The price paid for the acquisition could not be ascertained.

Marketing and manufacturing rights relating to the brands have already been transferred to Nicholas Piramal from the joint venture company. These brands will be marketed through Multi Speciality division, says Mr Joshi.

The division largely caters to general practitioners and consulting physicians through a field force of 400 odd medical representatives. The division''s product portfolio comprises anti-infectives, cough and cold preparations, cardiovasculars and gastrointestinal preparations.

While the resumption of marketing operations will be immediate, the company is still to decide where to make these medicines. This is because the company''s Pithampur formulations facility near Indore does not have the necessary technology to formulate preparations containing cefalexin. The company will most likely get the products made by a third party, Mr Joshi adds.

The latest deal is the third major brand acquisition by Nicholas Piramal after it acquired Lacto-Calamine skin lotion brand from Duphar Interfran followed by anti-septic brand Burnol from Knoll Pharma. These two brands have been transferred to its over-the-counter joint venture company Reckitt-Piramal.