Marksans to increase its footprints in global Pharmaceutical market is forging in-licensing arrangements with the Biggies of Pharma to launch their products in India and abroad.

In-licensing is going to be a very important strategy for Marksans going forward, to remain successful in the local market as it will still take a while for companies like Marksans to come out with their own patented products.

India moved to a product patent regime that was compliant with the World Trade Organization's Trade Related Intellectual Patent Rights (TRIPs) law in January 2005. In-licensing could be a lucrative option for companies. The market for new-generation drugs in India is around Rs4,500 crore to Rs5,000 crore a year. These drugs are currently under patent protection internationally.

The in-licensing strategy helps Indian companies to bring novel medications to the country at reasonable prices. Since these products are already approved for marketing in other countries, the regulatory procedures are also easier and faster here as they directly undergo a bio-equivalence study and a Phase- III (drug test in patients) trials.

The bio-equivalence study is conducted to ensure that the medicine made out of the substance (chemical/protein) developed by the original inventor is similar in quality and therapeutic function to what is specified in the relevant data provided to the regulators.