Indian Competition To Viagra

India's Orchid Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals Ltd has said it isexpecting to start exporting sildenafil citrate, the active ingredient in Pfizer's fast-selling impotence drug Viagra, in the near future. It will direct its sales to those countries which are not covered by Pfizer's intellectual property, Orchid managing director Raghavendra Rao told Reuters in an interview. Pfizer is thought to have patent protection for Viagra in at least 140 countries.

Orchid has already started importing the bulk raw materials for making sildenafil at its manufacturing facility near Madras in India's Tamil Nadu state, and plans to start exporting finished product at the end of August. Sales will be targeted towards South American and eastern European markets, although the company says it has also had enquiries from China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh and North America.

Orchid will also supply the domestic market and is waiting for approval to sell a Viagra clone from the Indian authorities, although on the home market competition may be stiff as two other Indian companies, Cipla and Ranbaxy, have also reportedly been granted approval to manufacture sildenafil citrate.