Overall, sales growth in the domestic pharmaceutical market was muted at 6%, estimated at Rs 18,700 crore during the month. The pharmaceutical market has slowed since June – with growth of around 5-6% – due to poor sales of acute therapies, according to data from market research firm IQVIA.
Acute therapies, including respiratory and anti-infectives, grew 4%, while chronic medications (used for lifestyle conditions) recorded 9% growth. Others, such as cardiac and gastro drugs, recorded the highest growth among major therapies.
Industry experts pointed out that while the data shows that ophthalmology and otology (ear medicine) are being beaten together, the increase is mainly due to sales of eye medicines.
Within ophthalmology, methylcellulose recorded the highest sales of Rs 51 crore with a growth of 13%, while the highest growth of 95% was observed in Moxifloxacin. Typical, Moxifloxacin is an antibiotic prescribed for bacterial eye and ear infections, industry experts told TOI.
During the month, Sun Pharma maintained the top position with an 8% share in the organized pharmaceutical retail market. Others like it MacleodsAristo and FDC improved by two positions, reaching seventh, 10th and 22nd respectively. Among brands, popular antibiotic Augmentin topped the list with sales of Rs 76 crore, followed by anti-diabetic Mixtard and antibiotics Monoceph.
Augmentin took the top position, although sales fell by 5%, while among the top 10 brands, the highest growth (38%) was observed by Liv-52 with a gain of two places to secure sixth place. Monocef recorded growth of 19%, while Pan, Thyronorm and Foracort also showed robust double-digit growth in August.
Also included were anti-diabetic Lantus, which moved up four ranks to secure 16th position, pain-relieving drug Calpol gained six ranks to secure 12th position. Monocef and Zizitral gained 12 positions, taking third and 21st positions. The pharmaceutical market, which is valued at Rs 2 lakh crore, registered a growth of 10% over the twelve-month period ended August.
