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Biotech / Medical : Pharma News Only (pfe,mrk,wla, sgp, ahp, bmy, lly) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: chirodoc who wrote (231)	6/7/1998 2:13:00 PM
From: Anthony Wong	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 1722

Cipla, Orchid receive nod for Viagra clone export Sitaraman Shankar MUMBAI 5 JUNE THE DRUG Controller of India has granted a licence to Cipla Ltd and Orchid Pharmaceuticals and Chemicals to export sildenafil citrate, the bulk drug that goes into Pfizer's patented anti-impotence pill Viagra. After an anxious wait, Cipla received its approval yesterday while Orchid got the nod today. Sources said Cipla was to airlift its first consignment in a couple of days. It is understood that the quantity to be exported is small, less than one-tenth the quantity of 39 tonnes that Orchid is purported to have applied for. Meanwhile, Orchid officials refused to comment on the size of their export orders. The company is now planning to apply for permission to sell the drug in the local market. Cipla has already filed for this permission, and expects to be in the Indian market with its version of Viagra in 4-6 months. The development comes after worries that the potentially lucrative exports would be delayed if drug authorities were to go into every detail including verification of export destinations and even provisions of the WTO. There was also speculation that Pfizer was bringing pressure on the authorities, which the Indian arm of the US firm has been denied. The permission is likely to come as a major blow to Pfizer, which had been raising issues such as the need for adequate awareness about the drug. A Pfizer spokesman said, ''We are concerned about the violation of patents in countries where this product reaches. In addition to violation of legal rights, we are worried about damage to the image of the product, particularly in those countries where it has not been registered.'' economictimes.com