Torrent Pharma becomes India's 5th largest drugmaker

NEW DELHI: Following the acquisition of JB Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals (JB Chem), Torrent Pharma is set to become India’s fifth-largest pharmaceutical company, capturing a 4.6% share of the Rs 2.3 lakh crore organised retail market.

The acquisition boosts Torrent Pharma’s rank from 7th to 5th place, increasing its market share from 3.6% to 4.6%, according to data gathered by TOI from market intelligence firm Pharmarack .

Sun Pharma leads the highly fragmented pharma market with sales of over Rs 19,000 crore and an 8.3% share (Moving Annual Total or 12-month period ended May '25). The Ahmedabad-based firm, the flagship of the Torrent group, follows Cipla , which has a 5.2% market share.

Significantly, the deal propels Torrent to become the number one player in the over Rs 30,000 crore cardiac therapy market, overtaking the leader, Sun Pharma, from an existing 7% to nearly 11% share (MAT May '25). While in the Rs 28,000-crore gastrointestinal therapy, Torrent will move up two positions to the second slot after the potential merger.

Cardiac and gastrointestinal therapies represent the two largest segments of the chronic and acute pharma retail market. With this deal, Torrent has significantly strengthened its position in these key high-growth therapeutic areas.

Further, the India business of the merged entity will have sales of over Rs 10,600 crore, with consolidated revenues exceeding Rs 15,000 crore. The Torrent script closed nearly 2% higher at Rs 3410, while the discounted open offer price plunged JB Chem’s stock price by over 6% to Rs 1680 on the BSE on Monday. "As corporates grow in size, inorganic growth with strategic partnerships has become the norm. Torrent has done it well in the past as well. Acquisition of key portfolios of Elder, Unichem, and Curatio has strengthened its position in nutritionals, gastro, and derma segments in the past," Sheetal Sapale, VP Commercial, Pharmarack, told TOI.

Over the years, the company, a leader in cardiovascular and central nervous system therapies, grew inorganically by acquiring Elder Pharma and Unichem Labs’ India businesses, Curatio Healthcare, and brands from Novartis and Dr Reddy’s Labs. Further, Elder’s brand Shelcal range (nutrition), Unichem’s Unienzyme (gastro-intestinal), and Curatio’s Tedibar (derma), some of the largest-selling pharma formulations in their respective segments, are part of Torrent’s portfolio.

The deal also provides Torrent an entry into untapped therapeutic areas like ophthalmology and the fast-growing CDMO (Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization) segment. Around 11% of JB Chem's revenue comes from the CDMO business, and it is one of the top companies to manufacture lozenges globally.

In terms of prescriptions, the merged company will jump to the 4th rank with a share of 5.4% prescriptions, up from the 10th right now, according to the SMSRC Prescription dataset (MAT Feb ’25).