The Hindu Business Line : Roche signs up Wasim Akram to endorse diabetes monitor

"Wasim Akram is insulin-dependent, but that has not stopped him from living a normal life," said Mr Sanjeev Johar, Managing Director of Roche Diagnostics. Akram will be exhorting diabetes patients to `Live life - The Way you want' in a television commercial that debuts tomorrow.

This is the first time a diagnostics company is going through a "consumerisation process" and communicating directly to the consumers, Mr Johar said.

"The message is that the disease is manageable. No one else can manage it for you. You have to take charge of the disease."

Roche Diagnostics's portfolio was earlier marketed in India by Nicholas Piramal.

Following a Rs 100-crore deal late last year, the two companies parted ways and Roche Diagnostics went solo and has been marketing its products locally since January.

Subsequently, Roche Diagnostics also brought down the price of Accu-Chek, from about Rs 5,000 to Rs 2,400 for a kit, Mr Johar said.

The kit includes a blood glucose meter, 10 test strips, a lancing device, and lancets (used like a needle to prick the finger for blood droplets).

The reduction of price was because research revealed that affordability was a barrier to category growth, Mr Johar said.

The company expects the price and the promotional advertisements to help ramp up volumes.

The estimated Rs 120-crore category is growing at about 25 per cent, Mr Johar said.

According to him, following Roche's price cut there was a downward revision of prices by other players in the segment too.

Other players in the category include Johnson & Johnson and Bayer and Abbott.

Roche is targeting 50 per cent share of this market in one year.

Its ad-spend is Rs 2.5 crore and is spread across different media, including television, print and roadshows.

There will be a burst of 500 spots over 10 days.

Meanwhile, the Rs 150-crore company is looking to further grow its diabetes and diagnostics business in the country.

It has already soft-launched insulin pumps and Accutrend, a three-in-one meter to check glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides.

The company also makes reagents and other diagnostics products. It is evaluating future plans, including capacity expansion at its manufacturing facility in Gurgaon, on the fringes of the capital.

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