Takeda Expansion: M&A in India and Investment in China

Takeda Pharmaceutical is looking for Indian partnership and joint venture opportunities and is also pumping up its operations in China for expansion as the Japanese firm's generic rivals are walking closer.

Takeda Pharmaceutical is looking for Indian partnership and joint venture opportunities, as Bloomberg reports. It's also looking at buying Indian companies outright, VP Haruhiko Hirate told the news service. The company hasn't reached any "specific agreements" but it's "actively" shopping around, Hirate said. Indian papers said recently Takeda was in talks with HIV-drug specialist Cipla and Lupin about possible deals.

The Japanese company is also pumping up its operations in China. Takeda is aiming for $1 billion in Chinese sales in 4-5 years. It's in the process of recruiting 650 reps, enough salespeople to more than triple its current force of 250. It's "in the beginning stage" of moving into China's OTC drug market. And it's aiming to expand R&D there, too. "We need to expand, definitely, in a rapid manner," Hirate said.<