Recent developments in the pharmaceutical world have suddenly made Ranbaxy-an Indian pharma major, the apple of discord between Pfizer and Daiichi Sankyo- the other two pharma major of the world. Just one day after the news of Japanese company Daiichi Sankyo taking over 34.8% stakes of the promoters of Ranbaxy, there comes the news of a hostile bid for the other 65% Non-promoters stake by the largest pharma company of the world- Pfizer. Daiichi was willing to pay 31.4% premium to get the whole 34.8% shares held by the family promoters and add 20 % shares from the public. But now comes the twist in the tale. Pfizer which had negotiated with the Indian major last year unsuccessfully, may now bid for 41.3% stakes from the institutions and 21.2% from the individual shareholders. So, now Ranbaxy has become the Apple in which everyone wants to have a bite!.
Now the biggest and most interesting question which arises is WHY? Why a company of the stature of Pfizer would want so desperately to buy a company which have no major patented drugs to its name? What is the profit these companies are looking for in buying a company which only make generic /low cost versions of branded drugs?
The answers to the above questions are as interesting! Pfizer has maintained its lead in the pharmaceutical ground on the success of some of its patented drugs like Norvasc, Lipitor e.t.c. The patent rule allowed it to exercise monopoly on some life saving drugs for HIV and blood pressure. But, now Pfizer finds itself in an awkward position as its major patents are going to last till 2011 only like that of Lipitor and no major drugs are present in its pipeline which can maintain its position. Pfizer wants to increase the patent of lipitor by combining it with Norvasc. But, Ranbaxy seems to be determined in not allowing Pfizer get what it wants. Presently Ranbaxy is contesting legal battle with Pfizer in 17 countries over generic versions of patented drugs. Moreover, Ranbaxy is one of the major players in the Generic drugs market and can run away with all the booty because of its low cost and good quality. For an instance , HIV drug for one patient for one year costs approximately $10,000 for branded drugs as compared to the $ 100 for generic version from Ranbaxy.
Thus from the above facts, we can easily deduce the actual motive behind the rumoured hostile bid by Pfizer for Ranbaxy. The obvious reasons seems to be that Pfizer wants to kill the competition and hostility from Ranbaxy by buying it. The other reason can be that it wants to enter the generic market by utilising the Ranbaxy’s low cost model. This is very much a possibility as other branded drug manufacturer like Nvartis have already entered the generic drug market, and Ranbaxy can help Pfizer establish a solid base for building a larger generic drug business.
So, now it will be very much interesting to see in which direction the ball will roll. One one hand the deal would mark a giant leap for the Japanese Sankyo to 12th position in pharmaceut
icalfield with presence in over 56 countries, on the other It will mark the entry of a Branded major into Generic drug business. Whatever be the case, lets all hope that the generic drug business is not affected as this serves as a lifeline for many poor countries which can not afford the costly drugs made by companies like Pfizer.
Filed under: discuss | Tagged: daiichi sankyo, lipitor, patent, pfizer, pharmaceutical, Ranbaxy
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ya, i agree with the author’s veiw that, ranbaxy (Malvinder singh) sold his 34.8% share to Daiichi sankyo a japanese pharma giant to lower the market of pfizer, on the other side pfizer doing the same to come in the generic market competition. This seems right from corporate point of veiw but what abt from malvinder singh point of veiw,by doing this he came to road, he is the person who laid the foundation stone of ranbaxy in the past and now is selling off. In my openion it is not a good step he must have to go by some other way to give competition to pfizer.
It is also not good for country point of veiw, at present Ranbaxy is a Indian pahrma major and if he have to give competition to pfizer then it has to join hands with other Inidia pharma majors like Dr. Reddy,…………….
Ranbaxy hav a very big market in India and out side the India if any of the bidding company going to acquire it the whole profit goes to the other country.
In nutshell if acquisition of ranbaxy is compleated by any one then India will goes in loss.
Well puru, I agree with you on some points but not on all. Firstly, by selling the stakes to Daiichi Malvider singh is not coming on road. Actually he has made 10000 crores of rupees for this. So, he will be putting this large amount in some other business. Moreover the company is not trying to give competition to pfizer as it is completly selling off its stakes. So it now depends on Daiichi as how it carry forward the work of Ranbaxy.
But yes, Ranbaxy has not done good for the generic market of India and this comes as a shock to the Indian pharmaceutical community. Being the largest pharma company, it should have been the last man standing to the force of foreign buyers not the FIRST!
What Malvender singh has done is not at all commendable as he has reduced himself from the owner of the largest pharma company to just an employee of Daiichi Sankyo. Moreover it was fighting with Pfizer for the good of poor people in regards to the generic versions of the drugs. Now, we don’t know how Daiichi will carry forward this fight as it is also a branded drug manufacturer.