Ranbaxy launches branded generic prasugrel in India

India largest drugmaker, Ranbaxy Laboratories (which is majority owned by Japan's Daiichi Sankyo) announced this morning that it has launched a generic version of the antiplatelet drug prasugrel in India under the trade name Prasita.

Prasugrel, indicated for the prevention of atherothrombotic events in patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention, was developed by Daiichi Sankyo in collaboration with US drug major Eli Lilly, which sells the drug as Effient. However, despite initial blockbuster hopes for Effient, the drug has failed to keep up to its promise. In the fourth quarter of last year, Lilly posted sales of just $3.8 million for the blood thinner, compared with $22.6 million in the third quarter, after the drug debuted in August (The Pharma Letter January).

Following the April 2009 launch of Olvance (olmesartan medoxomil), an antihypertensive originally discovered by Daiichi Sankyo, Prasita is the second product from the Daiichi Sankyo portfolio to be introduced in India through the Ranbaxy business network. Ranbaxy will create awareness, understanding and acceptance of the new antiplatelet therapy among the target audiences in the country.