B + L plans business launch in India

New Delhi, India-Bausch + Lomb (B + L), has announced plans to launch a pharmaceutical business in India through a strategic agreement with Micro Labs, a Indian drug manufacturing organization with 14 production sites.

B + L said the partnership will provide it with high-quality manufacturing capabilities in the region that will speed the introduction of new prescription and over-the-counter medicines targeted to a wide range of eye diseases.

Through the agreement with Micro Labs, B + L aims to capture part of the rapidly expanding ophthalmic pharmaceuticals market in India, which the company said is expected to reach $300 million (U.S.) by 2015. In addition to gaining access to manufacturing capabilities, B + L said it will establish dedicated sales and marketing teams, and deliver practitioner and patient education programs designed to improve the quality of and access to eye care.

“With as many as 76% of patients suffering from eye disease in India going untreated, B + L believes this is a critical time to enter the market with medicines and education designed to improve patient outcomes and overall quality of life,” said Dan Wechsler, corporate vice president and global president, B + L Pharmaceuticals. “Ophthalmic pharmaceuticals represent the fastest-growing segment of our business globally, and our collaboration with Micro Labs will enable us to enter one of the world’s most vibrant yet underserved markets in the world with high-quality and dependable products that may help people see and live better.”

According to B + L, the companies will introduce up to six new pharmaceuticals eye drops and have agreed to explore other areas of possible collaboration, including:
• Sourcing of ophthalmic solution products from Micro Labs to be marketed and sold by B + L in India and other markets in the Asia-Pacific region.
• Collaboration between the companies with respect to manufacturing technology for the production of eye drops.
• Joint research and development of ophthalmic pharmaceutical products specifically designed for emerging markets.