Johannesburg — ASPEN Pharmacare has been making headlines recently - seemingly with good reason. The latest was that it would partner pharma giant GlaxoSmithKline in combination with their own joint venture with Indian generic company Strides Onco.

The idea is that Strides and Aspen will manufacture generic drugs, while Glaxo will sell the drugs where the two companies don't operate.

The drugs concerned are Eltroxin, Imuran, Lanoxin and Zyloric. The deal seems very sensible. Aspen says it will expand its global business substantially, and the four products at present generate more than R1bn in sales each year.

This follows Aspen's recent announcement that it gained a significant portion of the health department's anti-retroviral (ARV) tender .

But perhaps the most amazing aspect of Aspen's business is its apparent success in Australia. Aspen may want to give some advice to its retail counterparts - most have attacked the market down under with vigour, only to withdraw with a whimper.

The Bottom Line is Edited By Edward West