Formulations form impressions!

Over the counter drugs, or commonly referred to as OTC drugs are medicines which are available at the pharmacy/ chemist without any prescription. Indians, by habit are known to "Self medicate" many minor illnesses. Every household has that infamous "box" of medicines which includes an array of analgesics, pain killers, topical ointments for any emergency.This very habit makes India the 11th largest market for OTC, globally. And it is expected to grow at a healthy pace in next 5 years

India, is a poorly regulated market for OTC with no definite regulations. OTC drugs require license to sell except Schedule K drugs- which are household remedies. The pandemic has certainly redefined OTC segment for India as more and more Ayurvedic preparations and immunity boosters taking shelf space at pharmacies.

Making space while shifting to OTC is getting strenous by the day as more and more companies look to enter this segment to drive business growth. Few strategies can help brand stand out. One among those is formulations.

A quick trip down memory lane in the OTC segment will highlight the route of "Patient centric" innovation approach adopted by certain brands which helped them to steer clear and stand out from the pack. In the early 1990's more emphasis was given on sensory attributes of medicines- mainly taste, shape, flavour to differentiate offerings. Since then, both packaging and and delivery form have taken centre stage in OTC offerings.

Lets take a look at few innovators in the segment

1. Tylenol

Johnson & Johnson’s Tylenol analgesic brand maintained a strong market presence over several decades, due to continuous form innovation, which included introducing novel gelatin-coated, capsule-shaped tablets called gelcaps, with a later addition of gelatin-coated round tablets called geltabs

More recently, in 2019- for their SKU catering to children segment, Tylenol introduced powder packets with interesting flavors (Wild berry) which dissolves without water.

2. Mucinex

Mucinex is probably the one that stood out the most to me. For their Paedia SKU's- Mucinex introduced "Thin melts" which were basically granule packets in a variety of flavours- bubblegum, Blackberry, Cherry, Orange to name a few. Interesting way to cater to patients and build loyalty in the process.

3. Lemsip

Attempting to stand out in the Cold segment, LEMSIP (UK) introduced Hot drinks- another first of a kind in the market

4. Multivitamin gummies

Owing to the popularity of multivitamins across the world, organizations are introducing new formulations like Multivitamin gummies with varied flavours and tastes to appeal to the masses. Further, gummies are also branched into Adult/ Children/ Women

5. Listerine Pocket packs

Other unique forms include fast orally dissolving films (ODFs), which enjoyed a level of market success following the launch of Listerine pocketpaks (originally Warner Lambert’s trade name but now J&J’s) in 2001. However, since then, this format has all but disappeared from the OTC market

Other notable example is of NICOTEX with introduction of gums and patches to ensure patient ease and compliance. Many novel formulations like chewable sticks, Candies, chewable gels are making inroads in the market at a rapid pace.

Consumer benefits associated with various dosage formats such as ease of swallowing, appearance, convenience, portability, and taste have been shown to be important . When considering OTC innovations, it is important to assess areas of opportunity. The importance of dosage-form and value-added innovation in OTC lifecycle management cannot be ignored.

Bhavika Sachdev