AWACS Reports Upscaling Pharma Sales Attributable To Increased Infection Incidences

Recent increases in viral infections have led to a surge in sales of pharmaceutical products. After a slow start in January, February, and March pharma industry saw a sharp rise in the sale of anti-infectives, respiratory and pain medications due to the spread of flu, COVID-19, and other viruses.

According to the latest report from AWACS, India's pharmaceutical market experienced an 11% year-on-year growth in the fourth quarter of FY23 due to the surge of viral infections largely driven by increased sales of antibiotics, respiratory drugs, and analgesics. Anti-infectives, such as amoxycillin and clavulanic acid combinations, azithromycin, and hospital anti-infectives, saw a 33.7% increase in value and a 28% increase in volumes from February to March. This growth demonstrated that the spread of flu, Covid-19, and other viral infections significantly impacted the pharmaceutical industry.

Medical experts report that the respiratory medicines segment has seen tremendous growth in the past year, with value and volume growth of more than 50%. This growth was driven by cough syrups such as ambroxol, levosalbutamol, guaifenesin combinations, chlorpheniramine, and dextromethorphan combinations, budesonide, rota caps, and inhalers. Paracetamol and other analgesics also experienced a 20% value and 13% volume growth in the same period. The overall market grew 9.3% to ₹1.85 lakh crore in FY23, while the volume growth in the same period was 1.8%. GSK's Augmentin (amoxycillin and clavulanic acid) remained the market leader. Companies with strong anti-infective and respiratory portfolios, such as Cipla, Mankind, Macleods, Aristo, and Glenmark, saw more than 20% growth in March 2023.