India’s pharmaceutical market grew by 11% year-on-year in the fourth quarter ended March, FY23, driven mainly by strong sales of anti-infective and pain medications as viral infections surged, according to market research firm AWACS.

The volumes were tepid in January, but with flu, Covid-19 and other viral infections spreading fast, February and March saw spikes in volumes of anti-infectives, respiratory and pain medicines, AWACS said in its report. The three therapies together account for about 30% of the domestic pharma market. The anti-infectives, led by amoxycillin and clavulanic acid combinations, azithromycin and hospital anti-infectives saw value growth of 33.7% for February and March, while volumes grew by 28%.

The respiratory medicines segment, driven by cough syrups like ambroxol, levosalbutamol and guaifenesin combinations, chlorpheniramine, dextromethorphan combinations and budesonide, rotacaps and inhalers saw value and volume growth of more than 50%. Paracetamol and other analgesics, too, joined the party, seeing about 20% value and 13% volume growth. The overall market grew by 9.3% to ₹1.85 lakh crore in FY23. The volume growth in the same period stood at 1.8%.

GSK’s Augmentin (amoxycillin and clavulanic acid) retained its top spot. Companies with strong anti-infective and respiratory portfolios like Cipla, Mankind, Macleods, Aristo and Glenmark grew by more than 20% in March 2023.