Marketing Strategy

Lotus has more than 200 employees in Taiwan. About 120 of them are sales representatives. Main sales are still from the domestic market including China. Future export sales will expand expectedly five times in next five years upon the completion of plant inspection and product registration with the FDA/USA and EMEA/Europe.

While Lotus is preparing for registrations in the US and Europe, Lotus has been licensing-in products to increase domestic sales.  Erdotin capsule from Edmond Pharma of Italy is launched in Taiwan in 2006.

When Lotus is developing difficult generic products at an early stage, sometimes it is difficult to find a proper Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) source.  Therefore Lotus actively collaborates with some API producers to develop the requested API and thus ensure the API supply and quality.  Lotus also works closely with the big international API producers, with their USDMF graded api from the audited facilities, this ensures Lotus’s product quality and reputation which becomes one of Lotus’ marketing strengths.

Business Strategies

   With the mission of new drug development in mind, Lotus has been gradually innovating its business strategies to suit the market trend. Lotus has conducted several clinical trials to accumulate the experience in early development stage. Lotus has later focused its research work in the development of new dosage forms for difficult generic products and recently expanded the work to new indication and new molecule entity development. The cost of R&D work has taken about 15% of total sales revenue annually.

The marketing strategies have been transfered from focusing on the local market to expanding to international export business. Therefore Lotus needs to plan for the product development not only for local market, but also for future global market. Currently Lotus has marketed the products in several therapeutic groups, such as drugs for cardiovascular system, pain therapy, CNS, dermatology, metabolic diseases and respiratory system. Some products have already been successfully marketed in China and South East Asia. Lotus is now actively planning to collaborate with partners in the US and European countries for its export business.

Lotus’ competitive advantages are based on the following strategies:

1.      Conducting new drug clinical trials with GCP compliance that accumulated the core pharmaceutical knowledge and thus provided the bases for research and marketing..

According to the local regulations, Lotus finished the clinical trial of Mesyrel Tab. in 1991. This trial was monitored by the DOH/Taiwan. Mesyrel obtained product license as a new drug in Taiwan.

In 2002, the clinical trial of Apano Tab has passed the inspection from the DOH/Taiwan and has been accredited to the GCP compliance. This is the first GCP-complied clinical trial done by local manufacturer. Lotus' clinical trials have been fulfilled to the international standards.

Based on this development pattern, Lotus has launched the following products in Taiwan, such as Agaceriun (Silver Sulfadizaine + Cerium Nitrate), Apano (Mifepristone), Arheuma (Leflunomide), Bensau (Benzonate), Basazyde (Balsalzide), Butaro (Butorphanol), Denosin (Desloratadine), Ichdem (Doxepin), Mesyrel (Trazodone), Musgud (Cyclobezaprine), Nimed (Nimesulide), and Witgen (Memantine).

At the same time, Lotus is also looking for license-in. Lotus has licensed a new expectorant Erdotina (erdostein) from Edmond Pharma to market in China and Taiwan. This will be an advantage for Lotus to grant the marketing authorization from international companies via Lotus' expertise in clinical trial and marketing. Lotus will continue to use this strategy to license in new products to take good care of people's health.

Currently Lotus has 15 clinical research projects that have completed GCP inspections from the DOH/Taiwan.

2.      Continuing the research on new dosage forms to increase the added value of the existing products.

Lotus has been continuously developing new dosage forms for the existing drugs, such as sustained release tablet. The related technologies have been applied for international patents. The following sustained release products are currently marketing in Taiwan, i.e. Forflow SR (Pentoxifylline), Milix SR (Indapamide), Mezide MR (Gliclazide), Muaction SR (Tramadol) and Fedcen S.R. (Pseudoephedrine). These products are now looking for overseas market.

Lotus has co-developed soft gelatin capsule, patch, injection and other specific dosage forms with Fisherman Pharmaceutical Co. and Patron Chemical & Pharmaceutical Co. in Taiwan.

3.      Developing new molecule entities and new indications that strengthen Lotus' capabilities in pharmaceutical research and global marketing.

E-DO Fountain of Youth developed by Lotus consists of multiple vitamins and has been tested on animal studies and human clinical trials to prove the efficacy and safety of acne adjuvant treatment. This product has been applied for PCT patents.

Lotus has cooperated with National Taiwan University to develop a new molecule entity, LS-NTU-106, which is an innovative cardioprotective agent against congestive heart failure, myocardial infarction and arrhythmia. This substance has been conducting pre-clinical studies and will be filed an IND (Investigational New Drug) application in the USA/FDA with our partner- HenKen Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.

4.      Exporting products to expand the global market.

More and more pharmaceutical companies in the US and EU are looking for toll manufacturing for their branded products. Recently in Japan the pharmaceutical regulations have been changed to be more adapt to the imported generics. Lotus sees the business opportunities and is actively expanding its business to overseas through the development of its difficult generic products. Lotus plans to work with the local company to distribute its products in that market.

Lotus is now preparing for the plant inspection from the FDA/USA and other health authorities from Europe. With all documentations prepared under the ICH guidelines, all the preparations lead Lotus to fulfill international standards. Lotus hopes to expand the global business by fulfilling the needs from various market with its strength in research and innovation.