Business Superbrands- 2nd edition(Main)

8/27/08

3:17 AM

Market
Several years ago The Economist had predicted
that the 21st century would belong to
developments in biology. That prophecy is
already coming to pass in the first decade itself.
From diagnosis to treatment, biotechnology is
delivering on its promise of revolutionising
research and development and creating
innovative medicines.
Worldwide the biotechnology industry is
expected to grow at a compounded annual
rate of between 6% and 9% through 2010,
determined by two realities: the ageing
population of the world and the rising demand
for a better quality of life. It is expected that the
emerging markets of Asia, Eastern Europe and
Latin America would be the main demand
creators (Source: industry data).
India is already a major biotech player in the
world. According to industry projections the
business has a potential of generating revenues
in excess of US$ 5 billion (Rs. 20,000 crore) and
creating one million skilled jobs by 2010.
In India, Biocon has been the driver of growth
in the biotechnology sector. As a researchdriven, global health care company with a
strong matrix of capabilities along the
biopharmaceutical value chain, Biocon offers
novel therapies, which stem from its focused
drive towards affordable innovation.
The company has a global
footprint that spans 75 countries,
with the US and the European
markets accounting for more than
35% of its worldwide sales.
For a country with a number of
sunrise industries, biotechnology is,
perhaps, Indias most important
development as it alone envelopes
the hope of bringing affordable
relief to a world plagued
with disease.

Achievements
With just three scientists at its
core, Biocon began commercial
operations in 1978 manufacturing
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industrial enzymes. 30 eventful years later the

company is a globally recognised, integrated
biopharmaceutical company with a work force
of 3900 including 900 scientists. The visionary
who made this transition possible was
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, declared in a recent
international poll, to be one of the most
influential professionals in biotechnology in
the world. It is under her leadership that
Biocon has emerged as the face of evolving
India and has, not surprisingly, distinguished
itself in several spheres.
It was the first company to export microbial
enzymes to the US and Europe.
Syngene International, a Biocon Group
company, is Indias first custom research
company in drug discovery.
Biocons proprietary bioreactor the PlaFractor
received a US patent in the 1990s.
Clinigene, another Biocon subsidiary, has the
distinction of becoming the first Indian
laboratory to receive accreditation from the
College of American Pathologists. This has set a
new benchmark for laboratories in India.
In its drive to scale up to global demand and
gain international recognition, Biocon has already
emerged as the largest insulin, statin and
perfusion-based antibody production facility
in Asia.
In 2004, the company moved up the value

chain by launching INSUGEN, a recombinant

human insulin manufactured using a unique
Pichia Expression system.
Biocon set up an Oncotherapeutics division in
2006 and launched BIOMAb EGFR a
revolutionary monoclonal antibody to combat
cancers of the head and neck. With this launch
Biocon became the first Indian company to
develop and
manufacture
monoclonal
antibodies in
accordance with
stringent
international
guidelines. The
drug received
the Product
of the Year
Award in
2007 from
Biospectrum,
a leading trade periodical.
This impassioned and unrelenting drive to
achieve and succeed has seen Kiran MazumdarShaw receive two of Indias highest civilian
honours the Padma Shree in 1989 and the
Padma Bhushan in 2005.

History
If Biocon is credited with starting the biotechnology revolution in India then it is a matter
of record that this revolution started with a
modest capital of US$ 1000 (then Rs. 10,000)
on 29th November 1978 in a garage in
Bangalore. The company was incorporated
as a joint venture between a young woman
entrepreneur, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and Biocon
Biochemicals, a small Irish company. Biocon
scripted a winning strategy by opting for
specialty, low volume, high value enzymes for
the food and beverage industry. This was a
radical departure from the prevailing practice
of supplying chemical process aids.
By the 1990s Bangalore was becoming the
knowledge capital of India. Seizing this emerging
opportunity Biocon set up Syngene in 1994. It
was Indias first contract research services
company in early stage drug discovery. It then
leveraged its fermentation-based enzyme
capabilities and entered the biopharmaceutical
space in 1998. It was here that Biocon launched
two important R&D programmes
for fermentation-based
cholesterol-reducing statins and
r-human insulin.
In 2000 Biocon promoted a
Clinical Research Organisation
(CRO), Clinigene, to plug a large
regulatory gap in clinical
development. The CRO created
in-house capabilities for clinical
development and also provided
clinical services to third
parties, thus making it into
a profit centre.
As technology progressed
and antibodies came to be
recognised as a new class of

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immunotherapeutic drugs, Biocon entered

into a joint venture with the Centre for
Molecular Biology, Cuba in 2003 to develop
several novel antibodies.
In 2004 Biocon went public as Indias
first Biotech stock. The IPO unlocked a
US$ 1 billion (Rs. 4000 crore) valuation on
the Indian stock exchange.
In 2006, Biocon acquired a large patent and
IP portfolio from a US Biotech company, Nobex
Inc., which enabled it to embark on a cutting
edge Oral Insulin programme. In the same year
it inked a co-development arrangement with
Vaccinex Inc., another US company to develop a
pipeline of humanised antibodies.

hub, incorporating state-of-the-art

research laboratories, USFDA-qualified
fermentation-based manufacturing
plants and Indias first antibody
manufacturing facility.
2007 was a year of intense activity
as Biocon formed a joint venture to
manufacture and market a range of
biopharmaceuticals for the Gulf
countries. It granted a marketing
license in Pakistan and created a
nephrology division which launched a
comprehensive portfolio of renal
therapy products. The year also saw
Syngene enter into a research
partnership with Bristol-Myers Squibb.
In February 2008, Biocon catapulted into the
European market by picking up a 70% stake in
the German pharmaceutical company Axicorp.
This addition will enable Biocon to synergise its
low-cost manufacturing capabilities with
Axicorps low-cost distribution model and
access the European market for biosimilars like
recombinant human insulin.
The German acquisition came on the heels
of Biocons strategic partnership with the
US-based start up IATRICa Inc., in January 2008.
This alliance was forged to co-develop an
exclusive new class of immuno-conjugates for
targeted immunotherapy of cancers and
infectious diseases.

Product

Promotion

Biocons diverse research base has enabled the

development of a rich pipeline of products that
encompass therapeutic areas like oncology,
rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune diseases and
diabetes. Biocon has a key focus on generic and
bio-similar drugs driven by its flagship products
like Statins, Immuno-suppressants and
Recombinant Human Insulin. Biocon is also
developing an exciting portfolio of novel drugs
like Oral Insulin and a number of monoclonal
antibodies. Biocons BIOMAb-EGFR is the first
indigenously developed humanised monoclonal
antibody-based drug for treatment of solid
tumours of epithelial origin. The drug has
attained leadership in its segment and has
provided affordable relief to cancer patients
across the country. The company is now focused
on marketing initiatives that are aimed at making
its branded products like INSUGEN, Statix,
Erypro, Olisat and Metadoze into global brands.

Biocon has two clear corporate missions: to

follow best practices in fast tracking new
generation biotherapeutic development and to
project quality every time the company
communicates as Brand Biocon.
To ensure this, Biocon began with the most
basic of communications tools the logo and
worked upwards. In sync with its leap forward
as a fully integrated biopharmaceutical company,
Biocon acquired a new corporate identity in
2003. The new logo, christened the Dynalix
denotes the two strands of DNA and stands for
integrity and dependability the two values
Biocon believes are essential for conducting
business in the 21st century. The logo, with its
distinctive colours, stands out in the clutter of
business-to-consumer brands.
The next level of silent communicators were
the companys annual reports, websites and
health care collaterals. Each of these, project
quality by combining hi-visual appeal with
simple messaging.
Biocons interface with its customers are
slickly presented continuous medical education
programmes on product-related topics and
sessions with key opinion leaders. At every
one of these events Biocon emerges as a
no-compromise company, dedicated to
ensuring quality output.
Events such as Winning with Diabetes
and its public interaction on World Cancer
Day are held to increase awareness about
these and other autoimmune diseases.
Famous personalities like Shah Rukh Khan
and Wasim Akram add to the brands
recognition and appeal by being associated
with key product launches.
Without doubt the brand owes much of
its global positioning and recognition to its
founder, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, who has
herself, won several accolades. She has
been called Indias Biotech Queen by The
Economist and Fortune magazines while
the New York Times has christened her
India's Mother of Invention.

Recent Developments
In 2007, Biocon established Indias first
biotechnology Special Economic Zone in
Bangalore at a cost of approximately US$ 200
million (Rs. 800 crore). Spread over 90 acres,
Biocon Park is an integrated biopharmaceutical

Brand Values
The name Biocon and the companys
promise The difference lies in our DNA
are tied to the Groups identity and
commitment to good science. They

communicate
dynamism,
cutting edge
technology,
research and
development
and innovation.
Biocons rise
to eminence is
reflected in the
building blocks
of life itself
the DNA helix.
In its infinite,
outward spiral,
the double
helix symbolises
the companys
mission to grow into a leading
biopharmaceutical enterprise of global
distinction. In its counter-form the Biocon
mnemonic resembles the letter B, reinforcing
the close relationship that exists between
Biocon and biotechnology.
The Biocon Foundation fulfils the companys
corporate social responsibility by making
available medical assistance to the less
advantaged, rural communities of India. The
companys brand values are reinforced through
an integrated outreach strategy that focuses on
social change and empowerment of rural
communities through public health, sanitation
and education programmes.

www.biocon.com

THINGS YOU DIDNT KNOW ABOUT

Biocon
Biocon is Indias most admired biotechnology
company
The development and pioneering spirit of
Biocon is a case study at business schools at
Universities such as Harvard and Oxford
The Biocon IPO was oversubscribed 33 times;
it was only the second Indian company to cross
the US$ 1 billion (Rs. 4000 crore) mark on day
one of listing at the bourses
Biocon was India's first biotech company and
had a global rank of sixteen (Source:
Biospectrum, July 2004)
Nobel Laureate Prof. James D Watson visited
Biocon on 9th January 1999
Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, President of India,
inaugurated Biocon Park in June 2006
Biocon is the first Indian company to launch an
indigenously developed proprietary anti-cancer
drug to the Indian market in 2006 BIOMAb
EGFR

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