Ranbaxy 1st-quarter profits rise 47%

Indian drugmaker Ranbaxy Laboratories has posted a 46.8% rise infirst-quarter 2001 net profits to 570.4 million rupees ($12.3 million), while sales climbed 18.7% to 4.46 billion rupees. Exports rose 29.5%, helped by the strong performances of dosage forms (+30%) and active pharmaceutical ingredients (+29), but domestic drug sales growth was weaker, increasing 9.1%.

In particular, Ranbaxy's anti-infective treatments showed lower sales, but this was offset by gains from new product launches in fast-growing areas, such as erectile dysfunction, pain control and drugs for the central nervous system.

The company noted that it has developed a once-a-day formulation of Aventis' antibacterial agent Tarivid (ofloxacin) by using a new gastroretentive technology. Studies for 800mg and 400mg dosage forms of the drug have been completed, and the products are due to be launched in India by the fourth quarter of this year.