Indian pharma market grew 8.7% in August on slower offtake of anti-infectives

The Indian pharmaceutical market (IPM) grew at 8.7 percent in August, much slower than in July due to lacklustre sales of anti-infective drugs, according to market research firm AIOCD-AWACS.

In July the industry grew at the fastest past of 12.7 percent.

IPM grew close to 10 percent in first five months of this financial year FY19, returning to the 10 percent growth of FY17. In FY18, the growth dropped to 6.1 percent in the run-up to GST and its subsequent implementation.

The IPM reported sales of Rs 11,342 crore for August.

The IPM stood at Rs 1.25 lakh crore for the moving annual total (MAT) ended August, reporting a YoY growth of 8.4 percent.

The acute segment led by anti-infectives grew at 4 percent in August, dermatology grew 10.2 percent while respiratory segment showed single-digit growth of 5.8 percent.

Gastro-Intestinal grew 10.3 percent while vitamins grew 9 percent. Chronic therapies like anti-diabetes rose 14 percent, Cardio 12.5 percent and Central Nervous System (CNS) at 8.9 percent.

The price controlled National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) 2013 molecules market showed growth at 2 percent whereas the non-NLEM market grew at 9.4 percent.

Volumes in August grew at 3.9 percent while the price growth stood at 3.3 percent. The newly-introduced drugs that mostly do not fall under price controlled category rose 2.7 percent.

Among the top 10 Indian drug makers, Glenmark had the highest growth at 19.8 percent followed by Intas at 17 percent, Lupin at 15.4 percent, Torrent at 13.1 percent and Alkem 12 percent in the five months of FY19.

Market leader Sun Pharma grew at 8 percent, Cipla 7.7 percent and Cadila Healthcare 8.3 percent

In MNC pack Abbott grew 13 percent and GSK 5.3 percent.