Morison launches 3 tablets for cardiovascular treatment

For the first time in Sri Lanka Morison, a pioneer in the Sri Lankan pharmaceutical manufacturing industry with over 60 years of expertise, made a historic milestone by launching three locally manufactured Tablets for Cardiovascular treatment.

“Earlier we locally manufactured and distributed three types of diabetes medication tablets,” said Chairman, Hemas Holdings PLC Husein Esufally. He said that it was his father who was into local pharma manufacturing from 1948 under Heams Drugs and 12 years ago they acquired Morisons to increase local pharma drug manufacturing. As their manufacturing facility at Muttwal was not sufficient, Morison’s then invested Rs. 4 billion for its new state-of-the-art pharmaceutical research and manufacturing facility at Homagama and this is the first time the company is venturing in the cardiovascular treatment tablets.

The launch of these therapies follows Morison’s successful introduction of EmpaMor (Empagliflozin 10mg and 25mg) diabetics tablets, which became the market leader within two years of launch. Managing Director, Morison Ltd Dinesh Athapaththu. He said that due to the introduction of these diabetes range of tables the imported drugs came down by nearly 30% and they expect a similar sentiment for the newly launched three cardiovascular therapies: Cilnidipine IP 5mg and 10mg, Rivaroxaban Tablets 10mg and 20mg, and Bisoprolol Tablets BP 2.5mg and 5mg all in 30s blister packs.”

The pricing strategy of these tablets has the potential to save patients up to LKR 30,000+ annually, making these critical medications more accessible to Sri Lankan patients.

“At Morison, we choose to take the high road and make Sri Lanka less dependent on Pharma imports despite ROI on pharma drug manufacturing taking very long.”

Though there is a huge export potential, any drug has to be used in the manufactured country for three years before being exported.

“We are conscious of the fact that behind every tablet we produce is a person trusting us at their most vulnerable times. Therefore, for us it is not merely a business, but more of a responsibility we take to heart.”

He also disclosed that today the local pharma supply has risen from around 5 % a decade ago to 20% and government buy back policy and unchanged regulation is the key for this increase. He also said that countries like India, Pakistan and Bangladesh have reached near self-sufficiency and if the government policies are stable Sri Lanka too can look to more local manufacturing and reduce medical drug imports by a greater extent.

Source:Daily News