Pharmaceuticals are indispensable to all living beings. India’s vast population, as well as its rich animal kingdom, are no exception. India’s pharmaceutical industry has been very effectively contributing to various other related sectors like preventive healthcare and sanitation in the rural regions of India. Digitisation has introduced easy access to consultation with doctors as well as purchasing medicines. This is evident from the mushrooming of a large number of e-pharmacies across the country. These have proved to be of immense convenience by supplying your medicines to your home. Many pharmaceutical brands have also facilitated conducting various blood tests within the comfort of your own home. What’s more interesting is the fact that your details are well-stored. In the event you forget the name of a certain brand or the medicine, they assist you with the same within minutes. India is the largest supplier of generic drugs across the world. The pharmaceutical industry of India is backed by highly proficient and dedicated scientists, engineers, researchers, and other pharmacy specialists.
Did you know? India is the third-largest producer of pharmaceuticals in the world and employs more than 2-7 million skilled personnel across its R&D and manufacturing centres.
Top 20 Pharmaceutical Companies in India 2023
India is globally renowned as a pioneer in the manufacture of generic drugs. Valued at more than ₹3500 crores, the pharmaceutical industry is expected to experience a growth of at least 10-12% by 2023. Let’s step into this world of medications to understand which are the top 20 pharmaceutical companies in India.
Sun Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd.:
Founded in 1983 by Mr Dilip Shanghvi, Sun Pharma is an award-winning company that has found a place among the top generic pharma companies in the USA. It is one of the top pharmaceutical companies in India, with an 8% domestic market share. It has six operating divisions and is known for its proficiency in manufacturing over-the-counter products, generics - branded as well as non-branded, creams, tablets, injections, retroviral (ARVs), intermediates in the full range of dosage forms, and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). It has made acquisitions in Japan as well as the USA and has a network across 24 countries in the world. It has forged various associations with the National Institute of Virology in India to combat Dengue, Chikungunya, and Zika. The company has an annual net sales turnover of ₹15,585.98 crores.
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Divi’s Laboratories:
Founded in 1990 by Divi Murali Krishna Prasad, the company is currently valued at ₹30 thousand crores. Divi’s Laboratories is a trusted name in the manufacture of Advanced Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), nutraceutical ingredients as well as intermediates. It has subsidiaries in Europe and the USA. The annual net sales turnover of the company is ₹8,879.82 crores.
Cipla:
Chemical Industrial & Pharmaceutical Laboratories Ltd. (CIPLA) was founded by the Indian freedom fighter Khwaja Abdul Hamied in 1835. He was the first Indian to set up a pharmaceutical company. The company is renowned as the leading manufacturer of antiretroviral medicines. With a global presence, the company’s portfolio is rich in more than 1500 products and is known for its manufacture of essential medicines. The company has an annual net sales turnover of ₹13,091.79 crores.
Dr Reddy’s Laboratories:
Kallam Anji Reddy founded Dr Reddy’s Laboratories in 1984. This integrated global pharma company has three businesses, i.e., Pharmaceutical services & active ingredients, Global generics as well as Proprietary products. The company has a footprint in Europe, Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries, Russia and the USA. Since its inception, it has been committed to the provision of innovative medicines and economically priced medicines. The company has an annual net sales turnover of ₹14,450.20 crores.
Gland Pharma:
Established in 1978 by Mr PVN Raju, the company is owned by Fosun Pharma (China). It is engaged in wide-ranging therapeutic categories, some of which include Anaesthetics, Anti-malarial, Cardiology, Anti-infectives, and even Fertility supplements. It is rated as one of the largest pure-play injectable companies and has a presence across 60 countries. It has an approximate annual net sales turnover of ₹34.63 crores.
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Torrent Pharmaceuticals:
Founded by Uttambhai Nathalal Mehta in 1959, Torrent Pharma’s speciality lies in areas of the central nervous system, cardiovascular, as well as nephrology, gynaecology, paediatric and other treatments. Renowned for its specialised services in therapeutic areas, it has a presence in 40 countries around the world. It has subsidiaries in 12 countries. It has a large footprint in the US, Germany, and Brazil. Its annual net sales turnover is approximately ₹6,742 crores.
Abbott India:
Chicago physician Dr Wallace Calvin Abbott founded Abbot Laboratories in 1888. Abbott India Ltd was incorporated in 1944 under the name Boots Pure Drug Company (India) Ltd. It is acclaimed for its medicines in numerous therapeutic categories, some of which include gastroenterology, metabolic disorders, women’s health, primary care, and cardiology. It operates in more than 160 countries around the world. The company has an annual net sales turnover of ₹4,919.27 crores.
Alkem Laboratories:
Founded in 1973 by Mr Samprada Singh, Alkem Laboratories is engaged in the production of nutraceuticals, generics, and formulations, In India and worldwide. The company has 21 manufacturing facilities across India. The company exports its products to more than 40 countries around the world. This also includes European markets, which are regulated. It enjoys an annual net sales turnover of ₹8,829.81 crores.
Aurobindo Pharmaceuticals:
Mr P. V. Ramprasad Reddy and Mr K. Nityananda Reddy founded Aurobindo Pharma in 1986. It is one of the world’s top five manufacturers of semi-synthetic penicillins and one of the leading Indian companies that manufacture antibiotic drugs. The company has a global presence across 155 countries and is renowned for its diverse portfolio of pharma products. It has an annual net sales turnover of ₹11,287.14 crores.
Zydus Lifesciences:
Earlier known as Cadila Healthcare Ltd, Zydus Lifesciences was founded by Ramanbhai Patel in 1952. Its core expertise lies in healthcare. It is also renowned for manufacturing pharma ingredients, wellness products, and animal healthcare products. With an annual net sales turnover of about ₹1.14 billion, Zydus plans to step into exports soon.
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Lupin:
Revenue-wise, Lupin Limited is rated as one of the world's largest pharma companies. Founded by Desh Bandhu Gupta in 1968, its domain expertise lies in anti-infectives, anti-tuberculosis, diabetology, cardiovascular, asthma, and paediatrics. With a footprint on 6 continents, it has a staff strength of more than 20,000 and an annual net sales turnover of ₹11,771.67 crores.
Laurus Labs:
Mr Satyanarayana Chava founded Laurus Labs in 2005. Backed by research, this company holds 177 patents and sells its Active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) to 56 countries worldwide. Reputed for its superior quality and affordable medicines, it enjoys an annual net sales turnover of about ₹4707.04 crores.
GlaxoSmithKline:
This company was started in 1924 in India and is now recognised as the market leader in dermatology as well as vaccines in the private sector. This research-based healthcare company is a subsidiary of GlaxoSmithKline PLC. With an annual net sales turnover of about ₹3217.51 crores, GSK products are sold in 90 countries worldwide.
Ipca Labs:
Founded in 1949 BY Mr K.B. Mehla and Dr N.S. Tibrawala, Ipca Labs is a globally renowned company which takes pride in its 175 brands, 80 Advanced Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) and 350 formulations. It exports to 120 countries and has an annual net sales turnover of about ₹5399.36 crores.
Pfizer Ltd:
A subsidiary of Pfizer Inc (USA), Pfizer India was established in 1950. It is one of the leading biopharmaceutical companies in the world, with exports to 55 countries. Its annual net sales turnover is about ₹2610.99 crores.
Sanofi India:
French multinational healthcare, Sanofi S.A. operates in India as Sanofi India. Its healthcare solutions are available across 170 countries throughout the world. Since its establishment in India in 1956, its therapeutic solutions have received much acclaim worldwide. It enjoys an annual net sales turnover is about ₹2,956.60 crores.
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Ajanta Pharma:
Established in 1973, this multinational company has been producing quality pharmaceutical formulations which are sold to more than 30 countries. Its annual net sales turnover is about ₹3140.64 crores.
Alembic Pharma:
The trio of Prof. T.K. Gajjar, Prof. A.S. Kotibhasker, and B. D. Amin founded Alembic Pharma in 1907. The company is engaged in healthcare and pharmaceuticals and has a global presence in more than 75 countries. Its annual net sales turnover is about ₹54,806 million.
Suven Pharma:
Mr Venkat Jasti, the Promoter of Suven Pharmaceuticals, established this biopharmaceutical company renowned for its Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs). With healthcare as its key focus, the company exports to Japan and other Asian countries as well as the USA. It enjoys an annual net sales turnover of about ₹1.320 crores.
Emcure Pharmaceuticals:
This multinational company was founded by Satish Ramanlal Mehta in 1981 and had an impressive portfolio of capsules, injectables as well as tablets. It exports to Japan, Europe, the USA, and Brazil. Its net sales turnover of about ₹6,000 crores.
Conclusion:
The contents of this article give you an insight into some of the leading pharmaceutical companies in India and their expertise in specific segments. The pharma industry is witnessing a massive expansion in growth in India, and these companies are all geared to meet the challenges of the future. Individuals interested in research or other pharma-related departments can find lucrative employment opportunities in this industry and can also get ideas to start a pharmacy business.
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