Chennai: It is like supporting products with a a life extension programme. After focusing on specialist doctors, drug major Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Limited has decided to target general practitioners / family physicians, for which it has carved a new division, Milieus, for this purpose.

According to A S Mohanty, director, domestic formulations, "With India binding itself to WTO''s product patent regime, the prospects of reengineering new molecules has vanished." The option before Indian pharma companies is to extend the usage of their existing product basket.

Many of the older generation drugs are efficient. But pharma companies had their own reasons for launching newer ones while withdrawing the older drugs, he said. Glenmark has identified around 15 products used for treating infections, cough, cold, inflammation and other ailments to be promoted amongst general practitioners. According to him, the initial results are encouraging.

Meanwhile, the company is gearing itself for conducting the phase II clinical trials for its new asthma molecule GRC 3886. The company has already entered into an agreement with the US-based Forest Laboratories, and Japan''s Teijin Pharma Ltd for developing and marketing this drug in North America and Japan respectively. The Indian company is now on the look out for buyers in Europe.

According to the contract terms with Forest Laboratories, Glenmark would receive a total of $190 million based on milestones achieved by it. The company has received around $20 million till date. The Japanese company would pay upto $53 million, again based on milestones achieved by Glenmark.

The other drug under development is for type II diabetes. Glenmark has applied to UK authorities for conducting phase I clinical trials for this drug.