Beximco Pharma begins exporting medicines to Sri Lanka

Beximco Pharmaceuticals Limited (BPL) has began exporting its medicines to Sri Lanka. The four generics of exported drugs are Azithrocin (Azithromycin), Decomit (Beclomethasone dipropionate), Cox B (celecoxib) and Deflux (Domperidone).

The company has entered Sri Lankan market with six drugs and launched their formal promotion from January 1, 2006, company sources said Thursday.

The first consignment of these products includes Azithrocin's 250 mg capsule, 500 mg tablet and 15 ml suspension. It also includes Cox B 200 mg tablet, Decomit nasal spray and Deflux tablet.

Beximco Pharma from its very inception has been a technology-driven company. It is intere sted in introducing specialised products like inhaler, nasal spray, suppository, injectables etc. in Sri Lanka. BPL has already applied for the registration of 28 more new products there, relevant sources said.

Sri Lanka is the fourth South Asian country, where BPL has expanded its operation. Other countries are Pakistan, Nepal and Bhutan.

Beximco Pharma, a sister concern of Beximco Group, manufactures and markets its own 'branded generics' for almost all diseases.

In Bangladesh, the loc al pharmaceutical companies now fulfil some 95 per cent demand of the domestic market, with medicines worth $ 503 million (50.3 crore). According to available statistics, there are 164 pharmaceutical companies in the country. Of them, about 25 are big companies and produce high quality medicines.

Bangladesh earned US$ 21.26 million in 2004-05 fiscal by exporting pharmaceutical products to some 60 countries showing a 67.53 per cent rise over the previous fiscal.

25 companies in the pharmaceutical and chemical sector are currently listed with the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE). Their tota l share of capital is Tk 3.06 billion (306 crore). This sector dominated the DSE turnover, accounting for 15.32 per cent in 2005, market sources said.

BPL has a strong track record of transferring technical know-how to some of the leading Asian companies. The company has undertaken an advertising and marketing campaign with its overseas partner in the island country - Emerchemie NB (Ceylon) Limited -- to get an overwhelming response. Emerchemie will be responsible for BPL products' registration, import, sales and distribution in Sri Lanka.