As per the research firm, the sales were ‘one of the best growths seen in more than 32 months’, and attributed it to the weak 7 per cent sales growth seen in the corresponding month last year, as well as the entire festival season ending in October itself this year. Among the top 10 drug manufacturers, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Cipla, Cadila Healthcare, Lupin, Mankind Pharmaceuticals, Alkem Laboratories and Torrent Pharmaceuticals posted sales growth in the range of 12.6-17.9 per cent in November.
India’s largest firm Sun Pharmaceutical posted a 14.5 per cent growth in sales for the month to Rs 1,035 crore, while the Abbott group, the largest multinational firm and India’s second-largest, posted 12 per cent growth to Rs 779 crore. While sales of drugs under the national list of essential medicines, which come under price control, grew 15.2 per cent to Rs 1,245 crores, that of medicines not under price control grew 14.6 per cent to Rs 10,866 crores.
Among the major therapy segments, anti-infective and respiratory drug sales led the growth with 17.0 per cent and 19.7 per cent respectively in November.
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