Sun Pharma has started the roll-out of Gemcitabine InfuSMART, the world’s first licenced ready-to-administer bag for Oncology treatment. The company hopes to launch it in Europe first — the Netherlands, the UK, Spain, Germany, Italy and France. Speaking to Bloomberg TV India , Sun Pharma Business Head for Western Europe and ANZ, Hellen De Kloet, says 60-80 per cent of the Gemcitabine market could switch to InfuSMART technology.
How big is the opportunity from this new product?
It is very difficult to predict the size of the product. But, potentially, if you look at the product itself, the advantages are: you don’t have human intervention anymore, it is safer for technicians and there will be no calculation errors. Potentially, 60-80 per cent of the Gemcitabine market could switch to InfuSMART technology.
This month, we are launching it in the UK and the Netherlands. The launch will be complete in every country by 2016.
How much will the InfuSMART add to the top-line and bottom-line? What will be its margin?
It is very difficult to estimate. This is a new technology and customers need to get used to it. As I said, 60-80 per cent of the Gemcitabine market could switch to InfuSMART technology as it is the first product using this technology.
When do you see competition coming in?
We don’t know. Of course, technicians will look at us and see how successful we will be. But competition also needs to have expertise and an oncology branch as well. We will be monitoring competition closely. But so far, we haven’t seen any competitor coming into the market.
Sun Pharma has also received regulatory approval to produce InfuSMART in eight key stock-keeping units. More InfuSMART oncology products will be rolled in the future. When’ll they be launched?
So far, we have selected five molecules which could be done using the InfuSMART technology and they all will be rolled out in Europe in the next 2-3 years.
You have mentioned that there are opportunities to expand portfolios of ready-to-administer products to multiple therapies. What therapies are you looking at?
We are looking at therapies where time and safety are of the essence, and the first edition of what we are looking at is critical care.
Has Brexit impacted you?
Most of the revenues are coming from European-dominated markets. We are carefully monitoring what is happening in the UK. The signals right now indicate that there won’t be too many changes in the UK for the pharma market right now. But even if something happens, it will not hurt us so much.
Due to pound depreciation, do you feel the need for any price adjustments? Is it detrimental to your price competitiveness?
Prices are very much regulated in Europe. So there is not so much you can do in a market like the UK. So far, we don’t have any plan to change pricing.
What is your outlook for FY17?
I cannot really comment on it. This InfuSMART launch will have a positive impact in terms of revenues as well as profitability. That’s all I can say right now.