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Dr Alex Saunders, a US based scientist and diabetes expert says
that only 0.1-0.3 per cent of diabetic population in India use sugar level
monitoring instruments like glucometres compared to about 33 percent in US.
According to him, the market for such metres in the country is really virgin and
lucrative for the companies tap.
The firms which are marketing glucometres agree with him and to
cash in on the profitable market, players like Roche Diagnostics, Johnson &
Johnson, and Nicholas Piramal have planned aggressive marketing and promotional
campaigns with hospitals, doctors and patients across the country to promote
their brands.
Glucometres are electronic instruments that could measure and
record sugar levels in the blood samples of diabetic patients. According to a
survey conducted by Nicholas Piramal, the current market for glucometres in the
country is Rs 106 crore, which is estimated to grow at a rate of 30 per cent per
annum. Volume wise, about 100,000 glucometres get sold every year according to
LifeScan, the diagnostics division of Johnson & Johnson.
"As per our estimates, glucometre market is expected to
cross Rs 139 crore in 2005 and Rs 183 crore in 2006," said George Varghese,
senior vice president, diagnostics, Nicholas Piramal India Ltd. (NPIL). NPIL
imports its glucometres from the UK-based Medisys.
Major distributors of glucometres in the country include Roche,
J&J, Nicholas Piramal, Bayer, Abbott, USV, Ashish Healthcare, Zydus Cadila,
and Pulsatum. Besides, there are several distributors marketing cheap Chinese
made metres in the country.
Roche controls about 46 per cent of the total glucometre market
in the country followed by J&J with 36 per cent. The other players take care
of the rest of the market, said resources.
The glucometres available in the country are priced between Rs
1,500-Rs 3,000 (per piece). These devices come in the size of a mobile phone and
a diabetic can measure his sugar level in the comfort of his home or while he is
travelling.
Glucose measuring strips (like litmus) come along with the
metres. Blood sample has to be spotted on the strip, which is inserted into the
meter, which gives reading. On an average, a strip is priced at Rs 22 per piece.
All the companies mentioned above market metres based on
amperometry. The former is priced higher on account of advanced technology.
Our customers consist of diabetics, hospitals and doctors.
Hospitals purchase 41 per cent, doctors 22 per cent, and diabetics 37 per cent
of our total metres," said Varghese.
NPIL's amperometry-based device (Advance) is priced at Rs 2,950
per piece, Roche has priced its metre (Accucheck) at Rs 2,400 and J&J (One
Touch Horizon) at Rs 1,500.
During early 2004, majority of the companies including Roche
Diagnostics and J&J, reduced prices of their metres by about 50 per cent.
This was because of a cut in import duty by the Union government from 14.54 per
cent ot 5.15 per cent in budget 2004, besides the emerging competition from
local companies.
The current diabetic population in the country is estimated at
about 3.2 crore, as per the latest WHO statistics.
(Ref : Chronicle Pharmabiz February 24, 2005)
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