It also has an agreement with Kern Pharma for the commercialization of Finasteride in Hong Kong and Macau. Finasteride is indicated for the treatment of initial stages of hair loss.

Luqa has another license agreement with Salvat for the commercialization of Cetraxal Plus, a combination of ciprofloxacin and fluocinolone for treating a wide range of bacterial ear infections. Under the terms of the agreement, Luqa has exclusive license to develop and commercialize Cetraxal Plus for Taiwan. The product is expected to become available in the Taiwanese market by 2014.

Planning for the future
According to Mr Braithwaite, Luqa builds products that are needed by patients and physicians, and build them into recognized brands with a long and sustainable life. "We believe that this makes us very unique in China," he says. What also makes Luqa unique is how they develop and market these products. The company provides the best of China's experts to build value for products along every step of the value chain and has a strong regulatory team that helps negotiate the regulatory processes of the country.

The company is now seeking to build on its expertise by expanding into niche areas such as oral care, supportive care and women's health. "Luqa is growing at a very fast pace and we are ahead of our expectations when we first started over two years ago." Over a year ago, the company is backed by a healthcare-focused investment company. "They know this business, know the timelines, know the pitfalls and most importantly know us. This partnership has helped Luqa to be able to focus on building a long-term plan, again focused on innovative and unique products," signs off Mr Braithwaite.