Biocon

Slide 1 – intro

Biocon was the first indian co. to manf. And export enzymes to US and Europe in the year 1979.

During the mid 1990s it was into manf. Of generic drugs which led biocon to manf. Statins.

Then in the year 2001 it started a joint venture with cimab (commercial branch of the center of molecular immunology) foundation to launch market for biomab in india.

Eventually in 2002 it started manf. Insulin

Slide 2 – situation analysis

Now as we have already seen how biocon shifted to properitary drug i.e biomab which specially aimed at head and neck cancer treatment.

The target segment for biomab was strongest in india with 21% of head and neck cancer and 27% of death worldwide.

The challenges for launching biomab were –

• Approval – regulatory approval for new drugs (biomab was something that the company had never obtained before)

• Technology – the co. had no knowledge about dealing with mammalian cells since it was a microbial fermentation co.

• Launch decision – the marketing team of the company had to decide whether to launch biomab for head and neck cancer with phase 2 results or wait for phase 3 results

Slide 3 – problem identification

• With time and marketing costs as the main constraints the marketing team of the company had to decide whether to launch biomab for head and neck cancer with phase 2 results or wait for phase 3 results for this indication, or invest in phase 2 trials for other indications

Slide 4 – criteria

Strengths –

While biocon was primarily an enzyme manf. Company, it also developed expertise in various fermenting processes

Biocon was the first indian co. to be approved by the US FDA to manf. “Lovastatin” which it sold to the US market through genpharm

As biocon had gained expertise in the fermentation process, it was uniquely positioned to produced its own proprietary oral insulin, which was attempted worldwide without success to develop

Weaknesses –

Statin- it caused muscle pain

Marketing – they did not have any prior exp in marketing and selling oncology drug. Moreover they did not know the patients and physicians.

Opportunities –

Outsourcing –