Chief operating officer Ajay Vij said the company had acquired the business of its local distributor, Bio Science, which has distributed Dabur's anti-cancer products for almost nine years. Bio Science's facilities include distribution centres in Soi Sue-Yai Uthit of Ratchadaphisek Road and on Rama II Road in Samae Dam sub-district, as well as 30 sales and marketing employees who have moved to the new subsidiary, Dabur Pharma (Thailand).

"We've supplied anti-cancer products to more than 40 countries around the world, including the US, Europe, Latin America, Russia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand," said Vij.

He said Dabur was also a leading generic anti-cancer drug company in Thailand, with a 17-per-cent market share of the Bt1.1-billion industry.

"The size that we have reached requires more investment to expand the business," said Vij. "To make an investment for the long term, it is important for the company to own the business and establish a 100-per-cent subsidiary according to the laws of Thailand. The move is also in line with our commitment to the Thai market."

He added that it was possible Dabur would use its Bangkok office as regional headquarters.

Dabur Pharma currently has representative offices in Malaysia, the Philippines and Moscow and a subsidiary in the UK. The company is expanding and selling anti-cancer products in Vietnam and Singapore, and very shortly in Indonesia.

The company is also working in Taiwan and South Korea.

Vij said Dabur Pharma would provide strong support to its Thai subsidiary with more new products that would help it meet the Public Health Ministry's objective of reducing the cost of cancer therapy in Thailand. With its own Bangkok subsidiary, the company would like to increase its business in Thailand 20-25 per cent annually, as well as expand its market share.

"The cost of our products is less expensive than the anti-cancer products already available on the market by big pharmaceutical firms by a margin of 15-30 per cent," said Vij. "Our aim is to make anti-cancer products more affordable and available for all people around the world."

He said there were currently 12 major players in the local market for generic anti-cancer products, mainly from Europe, Australia, South Korea and Taiwan. Dabur's products have been produced in plants that have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and European authorities.

Dabur currently has three major plants for anti-cancer products: in Daddi Town and Kalyani in India and one in the UK. They have a total production capacity in excess of 20 million units per year.

Vij said that almost 70 per cent of the company's turnover was from its international businesses, while 30 per cent is from its domestic Indian market.

"We want to increase our overseas businesses to be at least 80-85 per cent of our turnover in the next three years," said Vij, adding that Dabur Pharma expected to achieve total sales of US$60 million (Bt2.12 billion) in fiscal 2006 ending this month. The pharmaceutical business accounts for 20-25 per cent of the Dabur Group, which is the leading conglomerate for fast-moving consumer products in India.

Phaisal Sirisinsuk, country head for Indochina at Dabur Pharma (Thailand), said cancer was the leading cause of death in Thailand and that each year saw 50,000-70,000 new cases of cancer in the Kingdom.

Kwanchai Rungfapaisarn

The Nation