Natco takes on US co over insecticide products in India

Hyderabad: City-based pharma player Natco Pharma Limited, which has earned a reputation for taking on big pharma when it comes to launching lifesaving drugs at affordable pricing in India, on Monday indicated that it will be following a similar strategy when it comes to its recently set up crop health sciences division.

This time Natco is embroiled in a legal battle with US-based chemicals maker FMC Corporation over Chlorantraniliprole (CTPR), a broad spectrum insecticide used in several crops. FMC uses CTPR as an active ingredient in products commercialized under its brands Coragen & Ferterra.

Natco informed the bourses in a regulatory filing on Monday that it filed a suit for declaration of freedom to use CTPR at the City Civil Court in Hyderabad in September 2019 and FMC counter-sued before the Delhi High Court in November 2019, claiming patent infringement.

Natco said it hopes to bring formulations based on CTPR with affordability and accessibility to farmers across the country and is awaiting regulatory approval for the CTPR product.

Citing a declaration given by FMC, Natco said the sales generated from CTPR containing products in India, inclusive of third-party marketing companies, is estimated to be Rs 1540 crore in 2016.