India’s Sun Pharma plans gradual phase-out of Ranbaxy-branded drugs in U.S.: sources

By Sumeet Chatterjee and Zeba Siddiqui MUMBAI (Reuters) – India's Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd plans to begin phasing out sales of generic drugs branded as Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd products in the United States, after completing a $3.2 billion takeover of its loss-making rival by the year end, sources with direct knowledge of the matter said. Ranbaxy drugs sold in the United States will be gradually rebranded as Sun Pharma treatments as part of a strategy to turn around the company being bought from Japan's Daiichi Sankyo Ltd. The brand is likely to continue to be present in other markets, the sources said. Uday Baldota, Sun Pharma's senior vice president of finance and accounts, didn't comment directly when asked whether Sun Pharma will phase out Ranbaxy-branded products in the United States. "Overall Ranbaxy brand has a value," he said.