The latest licensing and supply agreement is with Indian generics firm Intas Pharmaceuticals. The agreement will see the Ahmedabad-based firm provide the Anglo-Swedish drugmaker with injectable and oral cancer drugs to be sold under AstraZeneca's name.

This agreement comes hot on the heels of two other deals with Indian generics’ manufacturers made during 2010.

An agreement with Hyderabad-based Aurobindo Pharma was set up at the beginning of September 2010 covering licensing and supply of a broad range of products in therapeutic areas such as anti-infectives, cardiovascular system and central nervous system.

Earlier this year, AstraZeneca also signed a long term supply deal with Ahmedabad's Torrent Pharma for 18 products in nine countries, once again to be sold under AstraZeneca's name.

Head of Branded Generics Operations at AstraZeneca, Mr Kaushik Banerjee, commented on the agreements, saying that “these agreements will enable us to extend the range of branded medicines we are able to offer patients in emerging markets, where we see continued opportunities to grow our business”.

References

Business Standard. Intas Pharma links supply deal with AstraZeneca. 21 September 2010.

Aurobindo Pharma. Latest News. Aurobindo Pharma announces Licensing and Supply Agreements with AstraZeneca for Supply of Finished Dosage Products to Emerging Markets. 6 September 2010.

Torrent Pharmaceuticals Limited. Research Collaborations. Research Alliance with AstraZeneca [monograph on internet] c2003 [Accessed 2010 September 21].

AstraZeneca. Press Releases. AstraZeneca Extends Branded Generics Capability With Torrent Agreement. 11 March 2010.