Indian Retailer

The H1N1 influenza more popularly known as Swine Flu is having its influences not on the humans but even in the retail market. Natco Pharma from Hyderabad has come up with its anti-H1N1 drug 'Natflu' in Delhi on Friday and now it is in talks with pharmacy chains across the country. The company had recently done an agreement with Medplus, the pharmacy retail chain which has its stores mainly in south India and now looking for other biggies in the sector.

Natco Pharma National Sales Manager K Srivastav while speaking to the media told "We are looking for similar tie ups and currently negotiations are on," but refrained form revealing the names that had been consulted. According to him '' There are around 480 retail pharmacy stores which have the mandatory licence Schedule X for selling the drug and it is likely to go up as more people have applied for the permit." Natco had a turnover of Rs 400 crore in FY 09 and hoping to increase it to Rs 600 crore in the coming year.

National Health regulator DCGI has allowed only six companies i.e. Cipla, Hetero, Natco, Strides Acrolab, Ranbaxy and Roche to sell the drug in the country. Against H1N1 Flue Strides Acrolab, Cipla and Hetero these three companies have already announced that they have produced the Oseltamivir capsules, the lone medicine available.