Alembic gets nod to market third-generation cephalosporin drug

Ahmedabad: For the first-ever time in the country, a pharmaceutical company has been granted permission by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) to manufacture and market cefetamet pivoxil, a third-generation cephalosporin, and the honours have gone to the Vadodara-based pharma major, Alembic Ltd.

Sources at Alembic reveal that the formulation will be launched in the market in the next four months under the brand name Altamet. The company hopes to gross Rs 6 crore from the drug in the first year itself and is looking at making a presence in the Rs 900 crore cephalosporin market in a big way.

For Alembic, the move to manufacture and market cefetamet pivoxil follows its overall plan to plan to diversify into speciality chemicals and biotechnology. According to company sources, “In the speciality chemical business, Alembic could manufacture insecticides made from basic or intermediate organic chemicals or plants for home and farm use. We have already floated a special business unit to finalise plans for the chemical foray.“

Giving details about cefetamet pivoxil, Atul Burman, vice-president, Alembic, says, “The drug is used as a switch-over therapy from the injectable to oral. The launch of the molecule is a significant milestone in the research endeavour of the company and it will help to bridge the entire value-chain from basic API intermediate to the finished formulations and to acquire a leadership position in the cephalosporin market.“

Meanwhile, Alembic has also launched another product, cefdinir, under the brand name Aldinir recently, and is hoping to launch yet another injectable, cephalosporin cefepime, within the next 8-10 weeks.