AstraZeneca Pharma India, specializes in cardiovascular drugs, is planning for increasing its workforce in India. Presently, 1100 workers are working in this company and company is looking to appoint additional workers in coming two years. Company is scheduling a tie up with Bristol-Myers Squibb for the launch of two diabetes drugs in India; it is also making arrangements for revealing all its global brands in India.

Anandh Balasundaram, managing director at AstraZeneca Pharma India, said, company is attempting tie ups in India to grow and launch all its global brands in India. Company already has 30 products in Indian market and last year it had introduced 7 branded generics in India. This year again company is looking to introduce 7-8 products, mainly in cardiovascular areas. All these products will be blend of India specific generics and global generics.

Company is also planning for equal equity partnership with Bristol-Myers Squibb India to introduce two drugs for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Company would require importing all these medicines and need to hire few employees for market these drugs.

Bristol-Myers Squibb has discovered these two compounds and already has global alliance for the product.

Company will be launching Onglyza (saxagliptin), a new drug available to fight against type 2 diabetes in US, Europe and India. To purchase this drug Indian consumers have to pay one fifth of its price in the US.

Balasundaram said, "Presently we are importing these drugs but we are planning to manufacture these drugs locally to reduce its price. At present one tablet would be priced at Rs 38, but as soon as we will find ways to manufacture and packed it locally we can reduce its price."

Alok Sonig, managing director, Bristol-Myers Squibb said that Onglyza will face a competition with Merck's Januvia in India. Company is also planning to launch another drug, dapagliflozin, for fighting against type 2 diabetes. This drug is in phase-III human trial and very soon it will launch the same.