The Chinese company, Tasly, sells Cardiotonic in 13 countries, including the US, where the drug, approved by the US FDA, has sales of $30 milli9on out of its global sales of $360 million. Torrent says the drug is the highest-selling single medicine in China, with sales of over $160 million.

Torrent believes it has a potential blockbuster in its hands and expects to prop its topline with sales of around Rs20 crore within two years of its launch.

Cardiotonic is a novel oral droplet formulation based on the theory of traditional Chinese medicine used for the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular diseases like coronary artery disease (CAD), diabetes and hypertension.

It is made from a unique combination of pure extracts of three Chinese medicinal herbs — radix salviae miltiorrhizae, radix notoginseng and bormel cardiotonic — is manufactured with modern pharmaceutical technology and strict quality control procedures.

The innovative droplet pill formulation offers many clinical advantages such as low dosage, rapid and complete absorption, fast onset of action, high potency with few side effects, and convenience.

According to Ruchir Modi, head, strategic marketing, Torrent Pharmaceuticals, "All current C&D (cardio-diabeta) therapies prescribe a wide array of add-ons like vitamin E, folic acid and neurogenic supplements. Cardiotonic will be positioned as a single add-on solution in cardiovascular disorders for all cardiologists, diabetologists and consultant physicians and will do away with the need for multiple add-ons. It will be the most preferred "add on" therapy in CV disorders."

Modi also says that this in-licensing deal is first of its kind in India in the traditional medicine segment. Torrent Pharmaceuticals will be exploring more such exclusive avenues in the medium to long term to get sole licenses to market such products.

Cardiotonic pill finds perfect synergy with the Torrents dominant position in the Indian cardio-diabeta (C&D) market. The company is ranked second in the cardiology market with a growth rate of around 15 per cent and is one of the fastest growing in the oral anti-diabetic therapy segment in India.

Torrent says that it was the first to launch global blockbusters like atenolol, rosiglitazone and repaglinide in India and enjoys market leadership in many brands in the cardiology segment.

Cardiotonic Pill is just one of the many potentially blockbuster products in the portfolio of OMEGA, the Company''s new specialty division that focuses on the Cardio metabolic diseases, with exclusive focus on cardiology, diabetes and nephrology.

The deal comes at a time when India is poised to become the country with the largest number of patients suffering from cardio-vascular diseases. According to WHO, India will have 57 million diabetics by 2025 and the prevalence of other associated diseases is going to increase in similar fashion. Currently, 7% of Indians suffer from various cardio-vascular diseases, 4% are diabetics and 7% are hypertensives.