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Two years after it slammed into a US regulatory wall, Ranbaxy Laboratories, under its Japanese owners, is working the hard way to be back among the stars. SHALINI S. DAGAR For a long time to come, July 3 for off-patent or generic drugs, had
$4 billion, it could only hurt more.
into court in a probe of possibly falsified
“Look at it from the buyer’s point of
view,” he says. He is right. The buyer’s
worse for Tokyo-based Daiichi Sankyo.
find its stride in India. The pace of in-
Comeback man: Atul Sobti, CEO and MD, Ranbaxy
CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER: RANBAXY’S US SAGA June 2006 June 2008 July 2008 Sept. 2008 Feb. 2009 Dec. 2009 June 2010
action remains in effect till today. 72 BUSINESS TODAY July 25 2010 July 25 2010 BUSINESS TODAY 73
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How the company is focussing on its three core markets.
innovator prices today is a rich $24 bil-
ARUN SAWHNEY, President (Global Pharmaceutical Business)
liked.” His response came to BT via a
A pharma veteran of 30 years with stints at Bayer India,
Hindustan Ciba-Geigy and Max-Gb, Sawhney is
AstraZeneca’s Nexium. Lipitor, or ator-
one of the senior members of the executive team.
in Gurgaon, a satellite city to the south-
Another senior member, Sethi, with 21 years at Ranbaxy, heads
the finance function. He is also involved with the firm’s M&A
activities, taxation, treasury and forex management.
With over 30 years in drug discovery and development, Arora is a key senior hand at Ranbaxy. This double-doctorate is responsible
in a big way for the drugs pipleline at the drugmaker.
BHAGWAT YAGNIK, Head (Global Human Resources)
Yagnik is responsible for culture at an organisation with some
sition, more so in the case of Ranbaxy.
4,000 staff (a third of them overseas). With some 20 years behind
him, Yagnik is seen as a pivotal member of Team Ranbaxy.
A 26-year veteran with stints at majors such as Novartis and
the key,” Sharekhan wrote this May.
Bristol-Myers Squibb, Adkisson has global experience in quality
says: “Sales, profitability and margins
control and assurance systems. He was earlier Senior Director
(Quality Assurance) with Daiichi Sankyo, United States. He is
Ranbaxy’s go-to man in solving the run-in with the FDA.
turing in the US in spite of its regulatory
troubles there. Sobti says he is planning
Hiroyuki Okuzawa, Head (Global Synergy Project)
Okuzawa is currently leading the integration process between
Ranbaxy and Daiichi Sankyo. Earlier, he managed the integration
at Daiichi and Sankyo after the two merged in 2005.
sation,” targeting 30 per cent by 2012.
almost 700 people there,” he says.
ing it $2.2 billion in sales. In the US, this
from the Japanese firm’s portfolio.
through its (share of doubts).,” he re-
tails of beefing up Ranbaxy’s discovery
flects. Still, he adds, the difference from
earlier is that there are no hidden risks
waiting to blow up. (See Clear & Present
cially in generics. “There is good scope
over Rs 450, is reflecting the market’s
Daiichi Sankyo calls a “hybrid business
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firm is benefitting. In the year to March
31, its sales rose 16 per cent in the US,
Mumbai from Gurgaon, hired 1,500people, and created 10 business units.
Tsutomu Une, Member of the Board, Daiichi Sankyo
Sobti has told his team that he is readyto accept a drop in operating mar-
“Ranbaxy is like a diamond. And together with Daiichi
gins for the first year, because of this.
Sankyo… the diamond will sparkle even brighter”
Ranbaxy are trying to do is copy-bookstrategy. Try to straddle (and balance
different parts of the $800-billion global
current troubles; see Team Ranbaxy)
have tried it — the latest being Abbott-
lieve that Ranbaxy’s strengths could be
turing sites and overseas operations.
leave” at the plants at Paonta Sahib or
Dewas (in Madhya Pradesh) affectedby the FDA probe, or in the US team.
Ranbaxy, too. Much of Ranbaxy’sfuture, suggests ex-chairman Brar,
it. Chander, the Barings executive,reckons he is not worried for Ranbaxy
in manufacturing. I would be verysurprised if compliance issues continue
^Including supply agreements beginning 2009 through 2014 & 180 days exclusivity in 2014 *Boehringer Ingelheim/ Astellas
76 BUSINESS TODAY July 25 2010
Asthma medicines You and your child should know the name of each medicine your child is taking. Each person’s asthma is different and medicines that help one person may not help another. Always use medicines in the amount and method prescribed. Always make sure you have enough medicines on hand. Quick acting inhaled bronchodilators (rescue or reliever medicines) Brand name Gen
PHOTOSENSITIZING LIST Certain food/drugs do not mix with ultraviolet light. Anyone taking any medication should consult with a Physican PRIOR to tanning. Antihistamines Amoxapine Coal Tar derivatives Fluorouracil Anticonvulsants Anesthetics (Procaine Cold Salts 5-Fluorouracil (5-Fu) Antifungals Combipres Fluoxetine Anti-inflammotory Angelica Com