Nycomed progresses its BRIC ambitions, soon to announce Chinese acquisition and opening Indian APIs plant in JV with Zydus

Swiss privately-owned drugmaker Nycomed reached another target in its ambitious plans to expand into emerging market, with the inauguration of an active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) plant in India, and revealing that it is about to make an acquisition in China, reports Barbara Obstoj from Mumbai.

Although declining to name its target, Nycomed’s chief executive, Hakan Bjorklund revealed in an interview with The Pharma Letter that the company expects to announce the acquisition of a company in China before the end of the year.

He said Nycomed already has its own subsidiary in China, which is generating sales of around 70 million euros ($94 million) but, in order to “have muscle,” there is a need for a “stronger footprint,” ie, a stronger sales and marketing presence. It is this which Nycomed will gain with its forthcoming buy, he stressed.