Orchid receives EU approvals for anti-bacterial injections Piperacillin, Tazobactam

Chennai-based generic pharma major, Orchid Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd (Orchid) today announced having received approvals for marketing Piperacillin and Tazobactam in injectible form in the EU countries which will be marketed through its marketing alliance Hospira.

Piperacillin is a penicillin antibiotic which kills certain bacteria that causes infection and treats many kinds of bacterial infections including those of the skin. Tazobactam helps Piperacillin to work better.

Orchid filed the marketing authorisation (MA) for this product with the UK MHRA through the de-centralised procedure route enabling it to launch the
product across EU countries.

K Raghavendra Rao, managing director, Orchid Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd, said, "This is a very important milestone in our regulated generics plan. Through this approval, we are expanding into a new product range of premium Penicillin Injectables and also foraying into the EU generics market. We are launching this product through our exclusive marketing alliance with Hospira for the EU' market and given the limited competition envisaged in this product we are confident of a. robust market share and revenue stream".

The company had also received approval from the Canadian TPD (therapeutic products directorate) for its abbreviated new drug submission for Piperacillin and Tazobactam Injectible in June, 2008.

The company in the first quarter of this year formed a wholly owned subsidiary in Japan called Orchid Pharma Japan K K (Orchid Japan)  to enter into the high potential and growing Japanese generics market, even as it faced  hostile takeover bid from Ranbaxy group firm, Solrex.