Lupin buys cholesterol drug for $39 million

Pharmaceutical major Lupin has acquired the US rights for a cholesterol lowering drug, Antara (Fenofibrate capsules, 43 mg and 130 mg), from bankrupt US drug company Oscient Pharmaceuticals for close to $39 million (Rs 188 crore).

The drug had $70 million (Rs 337.5 crore) worth of sales in the US market in 2008, data from drug sales tracking agency IMS show.

Lupin acquired the drug in a bidding process on September 25 under the procedures of the US Bankruptcy Court. Lupin outbid Akrimax Pharmaceuticals and private equity player Paul Capital to acquire Antara, Vinita Gupta, group president and chief executive of Lupin told Business Standard.

“The drug has strong brand equity, with primary care physicians, and has patent protection till 2020. We plan to strengthen the marketing of this product by doubling our US sales team to about 120 people,” she said.

Antara currently has 4.5 per cent share of the Fenofibrate market worth $1.9 billion and grew 20 per cent in revenue in the last year.

Gupta said the company would fund the acquisition from internal accruals. Lupin, whose turnover is Rs 3,900 crore, had created a Rs 1,000 crore war chest fund two years earlier, as part of an aggressive acquisition strategy.

Lupin paid $38.6 million for the product and related assets, inclusive of inventory, said sources.

Lupin had previously filed a marketing application (ANDA) with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market generic versions of Fenofibrate capsules, 43 mg and 130 mg. On September 21, prior to the acquisition of Antara, Lupin sold its ANDA to Dr Reddy’s Laboratories.

The company has also settled the pending litigation with Oscient Pharmaceuticals regarding the generic version. Lupin had challenged the patents of the drug and following this, Oscient sued Lupin.

Company sources said the Antara acquisition enables Lupin to enter the primary care market with a three-product portfolio. Lupin’s Suprax tablets and Allernaze have strong potential in primary care. Unlike most other Indian companies selling generics drugs in the US market, Lupin sells the drugs by marketing to physicians. The company is ranked ninth in the US market in terms of number of prescriptions in a year. The brand business contributed around $74 million (Rs 356 crore), 27 per cent of Lupin’s overall US business.

Karnataka secretariat turns fortress to foil Congress siege plan

Karnataka's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government Saturday turned the state secretariat, Vidhana Soudha, into a fortress guarded by hundreds of police personnel to foil the Congress's bid to lay siege to the building to protest the government's policies. Around 100 Congress leaders, legislators and former legislators were arrested as they tried to enter the stately building housing offices of the chief minister, the assembly, legislative council and senior officers. The Congress, the main opposition party in the state, planned the siege to protest what it described as the BJP government's failure to provide relief to people affected by drought in some parts of the state and floods in others, to tackle the worsening power situation and delay in providing ration cards to four million families living below the poverty line. The Congress planned a meeting of its office-bearers, legislators and former legislators in Vidhana Soudha as part of the 'siege' plan. However, police stopped them about a kilometre away from the secretariat. State Congress president R.V. Deshpande and leader of the Congress legislature party Siddaramaih condemned the state government for the deployment of massive police force to 'suppress' the opposition parties' right for peaceful protest. Deshpande and Siddaramaih told reporters that their party 'will not be cowed down by such show of force and will only intensify the agitation against the (chief minister) B.S. Yeddyurappa government in the coming days.' Apart from the Congress leaders, media persons were also not allowed to enter the secretariat.

RCOM gets new 8088-number series

BANGALORE: Reliance Communications today said the Department of

Telecommunications has recently allotted new number series beginning with
8088 for
it in the Karnataka Circle.

The new number series will be available exclusively under Reliance GSM service in Karnataka to its customers who were provisioned with the numbers beginning with 9 series hitherto, a company statement said here.

"We are proud to be allotted the new number series beginning with 8088. We are calling this number series as Elite Series as it is a special feeling to have a number beginning with 8 which is commonly associated with the STD code of Bangalore", RCOM Karnataka Circle Head Rupak Agarwal said.

Model : Nokia N95

Network
HSDPA / GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900

Size
Dimensions : 99 x 53 x 21 mm, 90 cc
Weight : 120 g

Display
Type : TFT, 16M colors
Customization : Download
Vibration : Yes

Memory
Phonebook : Yes
Call records : Yes
Card slot : microSD (up to 2GB), hot swap, 128 MB card included
- 160 MB internal memory

Data
GPRS : Class 10 (4+1/3+2 slots), 32 - 48 kbps
HSCSD : No
EDGE : Class 32, 296 kbps; DTM Class 11, 236.8 kbps
3G : HSDPA
WLAN : Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, UPnP technology
Bluetooth : Yes, v2.0, A2DP
Infrared port : Yes
USB : Yes, v2.0, Pop-Port

Features
OS : Symbian OS 9.2, S60 rel. 3.0
Messaging : SMS, MMS, Email, Instant Messaging
Browser : WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML
Games : Downloadable
Colors : Silver
Camera : 5 MP, 2592 x 1944 pixels, Carl Zeiss optics, autofocus, video(VGA 30fps), flash; secondary CIF videocall camera
- Built-in GPS navigation
- Installed Maps application covering over 100 countries
- Dual slide design
- Java MIDP 2.0
- MP3/AAC/AAC+/eAAC+/WMA player
- 3.5 mm audio output jack
- Stereo FM Radio
- Organiser
- Office document viewer
- T9
- Push to talk
- Voice dial/memo
- Built-in handsfree

Battery
Stand-by: Up to 220 h
Talk time: Up to 6 h 30 min

Warranty : One Year Manufacturers Warranty.

40% of swine flu patients young and healthy: WHO

About 40 per cent of people who have died of swine flu or fallen seriously ill were young and otherwise healthy, an expert from the World Health Organisation told a conference in Vienna today.


Forty per cent of the most serious cases, as well as deaths, concerned people "who would otherwise be considered healthy," WHO expert Sin Lun Tam told a conference on pulmonary diseases that runs until Wednesday in the Austrian capital.

Of those who had fallen gravely ill from the H1N1 virus, over 50 per cent of were below the age of 20, he said.

Meanwhile, the death rate was highest among people between the age of 25 and 49, he added.

The expert also noted that between 15 and 30 per cent of those admitted to hospital with the H1N1 virus had to be treated in intensive care.

And the origins of the disease were still unknown, he said.

In Australia and the United States, children made up the highest number of hospitalisations, according to the WHO.

At least 3,205 people have died of the disease since it was uncovered in April, the organisation said on Friday.

Accessing Information Using Computer Systems

INTRODUCTION

With the introduction of the Internet and the World
Wide Web, students are able to access information
faster and more efficiently using modern Computer
Systems. In the past, one had to visit national and
school libraries and spend large amounts of time
accessing information. Presently any individual can
quickly access, save and print information from any
location. One can access the internet from Cyber
Cafes, schools, mobile phones, at home and even at
modern libraries through internet service providers
and telecommunication links. Apart from the internet,
information e.g. encyclopedias, tutorials and documentaries
can be accessed from Compact Discs which
are read from computer systems.

Components Of A Computer System
Modern computer systems consist of a central
processing unit, primary storage, secondary storage,
input, output and communication devices.
• The central processing unit (CPU) manipulates
data and controls the other parts of the computer
system

• Primary storage (RAM) temporarily stores data
and program instructions during processing.
• Secondary storage (hard disk drives) stores
data and instructions when they are not used in
processing.

INTERNAL ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF BUSINESS 101
• Input devices (keyboard, mouse) convert data
and instructions for processing in the computer.
• Output devices (monitor, printer) present data in
a form that people can understand, and
• Communications devices (modems) control the
passing of information to and from communications
networks.

Sensex ends firm on rise in advance tax collection

The Sensex exhibited firm movement today following the rise in advance tax collection in the second quarter of the financial year, indicating a surge in profit expectations by the companies.

The BSE-30 share benchmark index opened 41 points higher, which is also its intra-day low, after taking a breather yesterday following a six-day rally. As the day progressed, the Sensex continued to gain on the back of sustained buying and touched a high of 16,477, up 263 points. The index closed near day's high at 16,454, up 1.48%, or 240 points.

All the sectoral indices ended in the green. Among them, BSE realty led the rally with a surge of 4.14%. The metal and auto indices also posted smart gains of 3.75% and 2.45% each. Bankex gained 2.4%, Power index rose 1.5% and FMCG was up 1.2%.

The market breadth was fairly positive - out of 2,873 stocks, 1,791 advanced, while 997 declined.

DLF surged 5.5% to Rs 414. Hero Honda rallied 3.5% to Rs 1,615.

Reliance Infrastructure, Sterlite and Hindalco advanced over 3% each to Rs 1,210, Rs 742 and Rs 125, respectively.

Jaiprakash Associates, Reliance Communications and SBI added over 2.5% each to Rs 237, Rs 300 and Rs 2,010, respectively.

Tata Steel also gained 2.5% at Rs 491. HDFC added over 2% to Rs 2,557.

ICICI Bank, NTPC and TCS were up nearly 2% to Rs 842, RS 209 and Rs 570, respectively.

Reliance, Mahindra & Mahindra and Tata Motors advanced 1.5% each to Rs 2,181, Rs 844 and Rs 570, respectively.

Among the Nifty gainers, Jindal Steel jumped nearly 7% to Rs 614. Reliance Capital and Siemens gained 4.5% and 3.5%, respectively.

...AND THE SHAKERS

ONGC, Bharti Airtel and Hindustan Unilever were marginally down.

VALUE & VOLUME TOPPERS...

Jindal Steel topped the combined value chart on both the BSE and the NSE with a turnover of over Rs 874.04 crore. It was followed by Bank of India (Rs 764.04 crore), Unitech (Rs 693.36 crore), DLF (Rs 617.3 crore) and Reliance (Rs 583.58 crore).

Smoking ban in UK leads to fall in heart attacks

The ban on smoking in public places in Britain has reaped great results, as it has led to a huge fall in the number of heart attacks, according to a study commissioned by the Department of Health.

The results of the study revealed that heart attack rates dropped by about 10 per cent in England in the year after the ban was introduced in July 2007, according to The Sunday Times.

In a separate study, the researchers found an even sharper decrease – 14 per cent in Scotland, where the ban was imposed a year earlier.

It is expected that a study in Wales would reveal similar results.

"There is overwhelming evidence that reducing people's exposure to cigarette smoke reduces hospital admissions due to heart attacks,” the Independent quoted Anna Gilmore, of Bath University, who is leading the English research, as saying.

Big Mc Donald new menu.

McDonald's cuts prices of extra-value meals to graduate from just a 'snack joint' to a lunch & dinner destination.

At a time when food prices are going through the roof, Big Mac is calling you for lunch and dinner that cost 25 per cent less than what you paid yesterday.

Beginning today, the world’s most ubiquitous chain of quick-service restaurants is reducing the prices of its extra-value meals – McVeggie and McChicken – to Rs 85 and Rs 96. The current prices are Rs 110 and Rs 120 respectively for a meal that consists of burger, French fries and soft drinks.

While the USP of McDonald’s all over the world has always been affordability, the move is surprising even by its own standards. But Arvind Singhal, Marketing Director of McDonald’s India (North & South), says it’s designed to increase the footfalls and increase the store utilisation. “Even the company’s board was surprised and asked us whether cutting prices at this point makes sense. But we have been able to convince them,” he says.

The rationale, Singhal says, is that McDonald’s has been known in India more as a snack joint. It is now keen to make its restaurants a lunch and dining option as well. Extensive customer feedback suggested that “people would come to us for lunch and dinner if we tweak the prices of our combo meals”, Singhal says.

All 165 stores will offer the extra value meal at the new prices from today and McDonald’s is ready with a new commercial which will go on air next week. The brief to the creative agency was clear: “Come to McDonald’s for your pet puja at an affordable price”.

Singhal says the basic idea is to encourage customers who come to McDonald’s twice a month to make their third visit. “The third visit will increase footfalls and that in turn will compensate us for the price cuts – that has been the McDonald’s principle anyway,” he says. And adding a breakfast or a lunch and dinner menu, longer hours of service, kiosks etc are all questions of leveraging the same area and rentals for deeper bill size.

With an average 3,000 walk-ins every day in each of its 165 restaurants, India is a significant part of McDonald’s worldwide network, but the restaurant chain wants to grow that number substantially. The average ticket size is small, but McDonald’s would prefer it that way as the strategy has worked in its favour. McDonald’s, which started operations in India in 1996, broke even last year and has started making profits.

McDonald’s has two joint ventures in India: One for the North and East and another for the West and South. The two companies collaborate on marketing (single creative and media buying agency), menu and supply chain management.

Amit Jatia, MD & JV partner, McDonald’s India (West & South), says the price cut move is a result of constant innovation around the marketing mix to build an emotional connect with the Indian family. The initial challenge was the perception of the brand being expensive. To overcome it, the brand started focusing on affordability, introducing its ‘Happy Price Menu’ at Rs 20. It then launched Drive Thru outlets keeping in mind the increasing number of car owners and the need for convenience. Then came the breakfast service, which is still on a trial run.

Globally, breakfast is big business for McDonald’s. In Europe, for instance, it began offering breakfast in the 1980s. Now, it accounts for 25 per cent of its turnover. In South East Asia, breakfast fetches McDonald’s 12-15 per cent of its total revenue. Clearly, there was an international menu that could be transported to India. Only, it had to be tweaked to Indian tastes.

Jatia says the main reason why McDonald’s has been able to keep its prices low is the extensive backend infrastructure. The entire raw material is sourced from Indian farmers within its strict quality parameters.

Jatia feels the move to go beyond just a “snacking option” will help McDonald’s achieve its targeted 35-40 per cent sales growth this year. A part of this growth will also come from newer restaurants (the company plans to set up 35-40 new stores every year). It generally takes around Rs 3-crore investment to open a restaurant apart from the real estate costs.

The interesting thing is all the restaurants are directly owned by the company and the funding is done through a mix of internal accruals and debts. Why this option when almost all others have opted for the franchise route? Jatia says direct ownership helps in keeping control over the operations at this stage of McDonald’s business life in India. He however is keeping the franchisee option open when the restaurant chain goes to towns where it doesn’t have any outlet now. ‘At the moment, however, our focus is really in trying to change the eating habits of people,” Jatia says.

Big Mac would nod in appreciation.

Maruti to expand vehicle prod capacity at Manesar plant

Maruti Suzuki will expand its passenger vehicle production capacity at Manesar by around 2 lakh units over the next 2 years.

“We will be creating additional vehicle production capacity at our Manesar plant to around 2 lakh units in the first phase, and then consider increasing capacity further to around 3 lakh units,” says RC Bhargava, Chairman of Maruti Suzuki. Currently, the company’s second plant at Manesar, which produces the company’s new models like the Swift, A Star and the Ritz, has a capacity of around 3 lakh units. Last month, the new facility touched the 5 lakh units on a double shift basis.

A company official said the cost of setting up a 1 lakh vehicle production capacity would be around Rs 1500 crores.

The purpose of expanding the Manesar vehicle production facility comes following the company’s decision to stop production of cars at plant 1 located at its Gurgaon production facility. Plant 1 has an annual capacity of around 1.6 lakh vehicle units. There are three plants located inside its giant Gurgaon facility that produce older Maruti models like the Maruti 800, Wagon R, Omni, and the Versa, and one engine manufacturing facility that churns out the K series engine. Total vehicle production capacity at Gurgaon stands around 7 lakh units per annum.

“Since this is the oldest manufacturing facility for the company and all production equipments are almost fully depreciated we would be stopping the production of cars at plant 1 in Gurgaon in a gradual manner. We will not be shifting equipments to Manesar. The space will be used for engine assembling, machining and other works,” says Bhargava. Plant 1 located in Gurgaon is about 40 years old.

Maruti Suzuki currently has a production capacity of 1 million cars per annum. Over a period of time this production capacity will reach 1.2 million cars factoring the proposed 200, 000 vehicle production capacity at Manesar.

The move to increase production capacity comes from two reasons. Maruti Suzuki sold around 733, 000 units of cars both in the domestic and international markets last year. For this year the company’s CEO and managing director, Shinzo Nakanishi expects the company to grow by 10 per cent to sell over 800,000 units of cars. On the export front the company expects to sell over 200,000 units primarily due the good response for its 5 th strategic world car the A Star.

Kali Paltan Mandir of Meerut A Temple Steeped in History

The temple of


Augarnath at


Meerut in the


Northern

Indian state

of Uttar Pradesh is a


little-known place of


worship but of great


historical importance. It is


significant not only for its


religious significance but


also for its distinctive role

in India’s freedom struggle.

No one knows exactly when

this temple was built. It is

said the ‘shiv linga’ present

in this temple emerged on

its own – a miracle that has

been attracting the

followers of Lord Shiva ever

since its inception.

According to local priests,

the great Maratha rulers

used to worship here and

seek blessings before

proceeding with their

victory processions.

This temple is in Meerut Cant area,Which is known as the Army area.

A Favorite Place for the Army
During the British rule, the Indian army was called ‘Kali Paltan’ (black army). Since the temple is located close to the army barrack, it is also know by the name ‘Kali Paltan mandir’ (not to be confused with Goddess Kali). Its close proximity to the Indian army camps offered a safe haven for freedom fighters, who used to visit and stay here for their secret meetings with the officers of ‘Kali Paltan’.

The Revolt of 1857
There was also a well inside the temple complex that the soldiers use to frequent to quench their thirst. In 1856, the Government introduced new cartridges for their guns, and soldiers were supposed to remove its seal using their teeth. Since the seal was made of cow fat (cow is sacred in Hinduism), the priest disallowed them to use the well. In 1857, this triggered off a revolt against the British establishment by the Indian army that spread throughout Northern India and jolted the very roots of British rule in the country.

The New Avatar
Until 1944 this huge complex consisted only of a small temple and the nearby well. All this was surrounded by huge cluster of trees. In 1968, a new temple with modern architecture (with the old shivlinga very much there) replaced the old temple. In 1987, a huge hexagonal hall was built for the purpose of religious ceremonies and ‘bhajans’. In May 2001, a 4.5 kg gold plated ‘kalash’ (pitcher) was installed at the spire of the temple.

BHEL bags Rs 900-cr order

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has bagged a Rs 990-cr order from Indian Railways for manufacturing and supplying 150 electronic locomotives. This is an addition to the 50 electric locomotives. It is already manufaturing.