Mumbai: Caraco Pharmaceutical Laboratories, the US subsidiary of Sun Pharmaceutical, has started the manufacturing and marketing of two recently approved drugs in the US, Caraco Pharma CEO Narendra N Borkar said.

The two drugs are Clonazepam and Carbamazepine (chewable form). Clonazepam is a neuropsychiatric drug used for seizure disorders and panic disorders. It is a bioequivalent of Roches Klonopin, with an estimated total US drug market of $140 million.

Though, Sun Pharma acquired Caraco around three years back, due to different USFDA procedural delays the promoters could not start the drug production till May this 2001.

Carbamazepine, a bioequivalent of Novartis''s Tegretol, is used for the treatment of epilepsy. The total US drug market for the chewable form is estimated at $20 million.

Borkar said the company is preparing for the manufacture and marketing of a third FDA-approved drug, Flurbipofen, a bioequivalent of Pharmacias Ansaid, which is a nonsteroid anti-inflammatory used for pain management and the treatment of rheumatological diseases such as arthritis.

Borkars company has submitted one more abbreviated new drug application for FDA approval during the third quarter of 2001. Seven drugs are now pending FDA approval, with approvals for some of these expected by end of this year.

Caraco has an extensive R&D centre at its Detroit headquarters complex and receives R&D support from Sun Pharmaceutical. Sun is a Caraco stockholder, and has agreed to supply Caraco with technology for 25 generic drugs. To date, Caraco has received technology for 11 products.

The Detroit-based Caraco Pharma develops, manufactures and distributes generic and private-label prescription drugs to the nations largest wholesalers and distributors, drug-store chains and healthcare systems.