For Immediate Release

Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited
Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited

Daiichi Sankyo and Ranbaxy to expand Hybrid Business Model in Romania

Introduce first combination of Olmesartan and Amlodipine in the market

 

April 19, 2012, Tokyo, Japan and Gurgaon, India -Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited (“Daiichi Sankyo”) and Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited (“Ranbaxy”) announced today that “Terapia Ranbaxy”, a subsidiary of Ranbaxy in Romania, will launch Sevikar®, a fixed dose combination of olmesartan medoxomil and amlodipine besylate tablets, in Romania. Sevikar® will be available in 3 strengths of 5/20mg (amlodipine besylate 5mg, olmesartan medoxomil 20mg), 5/40mg (amlodipine besylate 5mg, olmesartan medoxomil 40mg) and 10/40 mg (amlodipine besylate 10mg, olmesartan medoxomil 40mg). The product is expected to be included on the national lists of compensated drugs benefiting patients as it will be made available at an affordable price.

 

Commenting on the product introduction, Arun Sawhney, CEO & MD, Ranbaxy said, “Terapia Ranbaxy is committed to offer safe and affordable medicines to its customers and patients in Romania. We are pleased to introduce the first combination of olmesartan + amlodipine for the treatment of hypertension, which is a major public health problem. Leveraging synergies with Daiichi Sankyo is part of our business strategy and this will be our third product introduction as part of the Hybrid Business Model.”

 

“We are pleased to announce the synergistic business development with Ranbaxy in Romania,” said Joji Nakayama, President & CEO of Daiichi Sankyo. “We are determined to work with Ranbaxy to further serve diversifying medical needs in this strongly emerging region.”

 

Sevikar® is a once-daily, single pill fixed dose combination (FDC) of the angiotensin receptor blocker olmesartan medoxomil, an antihypertensive originally discovered by Daiichi Sankyo, and the calcium channel blocker amlodipine besylate. The new product is indicated for the treatment of hypertensive patients inadequately controlled on monotherapy regimes (olmesartan or amlodipine alone). This unique combination provides safe blood pressure decline effect through the complementary actions of its two ingredients. This combination therapy is well tolerated and is associated with a lower incidence of side effects, such as oedema, compared to monotherapy with high amlodipine dosages (10 mg).

 

Essential hypertension is a major health concern in Romania and is prevalent in over 40% of the adult population; the rate is double that observed across Europe.

 

The pharmaceutical market in Romania is valued at about USD 3.3 billion (EUR 2.3 billion), with the cardiovascular segment being a major contributor with sales of USD 271 Mn in 2011 (EUR 195 Mn).

 

Terapia Ranbaxy has established itself as the largest generics company and one of the nine largest pharmaceutical companies in Romania.

 

 

About Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited

Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited, India's largest pharmaceutical company, is an integrated, research based, international pharmaceutical company producing a wide range of quality, affordable generic medicines, trusted by healthcare professionals and patients across geographies. Ranbaxy's continued focus on R&D has resulted in several approvals, in developed and emerging markets many of which incorporate proprietary Novel Drug Delivery Systems (NDDS) and technologies, developed at its own labs. The company has further strengthened its focus on generics research and is increasingly working on more complex and specialty areas. Ranbaxy serves its customers in over 125 countries and has an expanding international portfolio of affiliates, joint ventures and alliances, ground operations in 43 countries and manufacturing operations in 8 countries. Ranbaxy is a member of the Daiichi Sankyo Group. Through strategic in-licensing opportunities and its hybrid business model with Daiichi Sankyo, a leading global pharma innovator headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, Ranbaxy is introducing many innovator products in markets around the world, where it has a strong presence. This is in line with the company's commitment to increase penetration and improve access to medicines, across the globe. For more information, please visit www.ranbaxy.com.

 

About Daiichi Sankyo

The Daiichi Sankyo Group is dedicated to the creation and supply of innovative pharmaceutical products to address the diversified, unmet medical needs of patients in both mature and emerging markets. While maintaining its portfolio of marketed pharmaceuticals for hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and bacterial infections, the Group is engaged in the development of treatments for thrombotic disorders and focused on the discovery of novel oncology and cardiovascular-metabolic therapies. Furthermore, the Daiichi Sankyo Group has created a "Hybrid Business Model," which will respond to market and customer diversity and optimize growth opportunities across the value chain. For more information, please visit www.daiichisankyo.com.

 

 

For further information, please contact:

 

Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited 3-5-1, Nihonbashi Honcho, Chuo-ku,Tokyo 103-8426, Japan	Noriaki Ishda Corporate Officer - Corporate Communications   Masaya Tamae Senior Director - Public Relations Tel:  +81-3-6225-1126    Shigemichi Kondo Senior Director - Investor Relations Tel:  +81-3-6225-1126
Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited Plot 90, Sector 32, Gurgaon Haryana 122001, India	Raghu Kochar Director-Corporate Communications email: raghu.kochar@ranbaxy.com Tel:  +91-124-4135141  Mobile: 9811617256   Krishnan Ramalingam General Manager-Corporate Communications email: krishnan.ramalingam@ranbaxy.com Tel:  +91-124-4135143  Mobile: 9810042540