Despite the poor pharma business growth, Sergel, an anti-ulcerant drug, has emerged as a top-selling product in the country.
Sergel, an esomeprazole molecule, is the product of Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Limited, a company which until 2001 used to import and market drugs of the world's largest biotech company, Roche, in the country.
The market size of the anti-ulcerant stood at Tk 6.16 billion at the end of September, 2020 (moving annual total), according to IQVIA, a US-based pharma consultancy.
Before it, Seclo, a product of Square Pharmaceuticals, was the number one product in Bangladesh and it has ruled the market for almost a decade.
The annual sales of Seclo were estimated at approximately Tk 3.8 billion as of September, 2020.
This is the retail sales value and institutional sales values are not included in it.
The third-highest selling drug is Maxpro of Renata Bangladesh with its annual sales amounting to Tk 3.63 billion.
The fourth biggest product is Pantonix of Incepta Pharma. The fifth top-selling product: Exium of Radiant Pharma.
The sixth largest selling product is Mixtard-30, an insulin of Novo Nordisc.
Napa of Beximco, whose sales were extraordinarily high during the pandemic, was the tenth highest-selling drug in Bangladesh as of September last.
Top executives at the pharmaceutical companies told the FE that the OTC (over-the-counter) products and the branded products have much demand among the patients and they consume those even without doctors' advice.
They said top products are usually anti-ulcerants in the country due to eating habits, especially consumption of adulterated foods.
Currently, five out of 10 top-selling products are anti-gastric products valued at over Tk 18.3 billion a year.
The top molecule, imported raw material, is also esomeprazole, which alone holds as much as 8.32 per cent import share.
They said the growth in the products would have been much higher if there were no pandemic.
They said the new generation or molecules meant for making anti-ulcer drugs are grabbing the markets gradually replacing the old ones.
Syed S Kaiser Kabir, CEO and managing director at Renata Limited, told the FE: "Anti-ulcer drugs lead the local market as our diet is poor causing gastric problems…"
Mr Kabir said Maxpro is popular among patients as it has pioneered esomeprazole molecules in Bangladesh.
"We established the molecule in Bangladesh and since then it has been very much popular among the gastric patients".
Bhupati Roy, executive director at the Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Limited, told the FE that they have achieved the milestone after hard work of more than one decade.
"We are really proud of it as we have obtained patients' trust and confidence," he said.
He said people consume Sergel when they feel discomfort or experience heartburn.
Mr. Roy said the brand will be growing in the market for another decade.
jasimharoon@yahoo.com