Santen eyes up Chinese market
Japanese company Santen Pharmaceutical is aiming to boost its prescription ophthalmic drug business in China by handling its own sales rather than using an outside agency.
Japanese company Santen Pharmaceutical is aiming to boost its prescription ophthalmic drug business in China by handling its own sales rather than using an outside agency.
Chinese sales of prescription eye drugs are expected to reach ¥10bn (Euro 61.3m) by fiscal 2015, roughly double the current level.
Santen, which now ships products to China from Japan, is carrying out test operations of Santen Pharmaceutical (China)'s ¥7bn (€43m) Jiangsu Province factory, which is expected to come fully onstream in January 2009.
Local production itself is unlikely to generate major cost savings, the company says, since the manufacture of ophthalmic drugs requires very little labour. However, there will be savings on complex importation procedures, reducing the cost of locally made products. Santen's Chinese unit is currently engaged in support activities.