Curis buys 51% of Uninova, targets Kenya and Nigeria for growth
What's the deal? Curis LifesciencesDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has acquired a 51% stake in Uninova LifesciencesDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, a move aimed at scaling its domestic branded pharmaceutical business in India. The deal is one pillar of a three-part growth plan that also targets export markets in Kenya and Nigeria.
What's the endgame? Curis wants to build what chairman and managing director Dharmesh Patel called "a diversified pharmaceutical platform with multiple growth engines across domestic branded pharmaceuticals, contract manufacturing and international markets." The Uninova stake gives it an established marketing platform, distribution relationships, and a branded portfolio.
What does Uninova bring? The company markets roughly 50 branded products and plans to launch about 12 more soon, aiming to exceed 100 by year-end. It has entered injectables with six products across four molecules — Gentamicin, Dexamethasone, Ondansetron, and Paracetamol — sold under names including Novagent and Novadex.
Uninova is pursuing injectables through third-party manufacturing, expanding its range without new infrastructure. It posted turnover of about INR 5.43 crore last year and targets roughly INR 7 crore this year, with own-brand sales expected to climb from INR 0.75 crore to INR 3 crore.
Why the export push? In Kenya, Curis has renewed its product registrations and secured about INR 3 crore in purchase orders across three orders, a channel built on contract manufacturing for merchant export. Those orders should lift Kenya-related export sales by 30–40% year on year, while Nigeria is being framed as a longer-term opportunity to establish a lasting pharmaceutical presence.
What's the strategy? Patel said the plan is to "leverage our existing capabilities, partnerships and marketing ecosystem to pursue growth in a capital-efficient manner." The approach avoids heavy upfront spending on manufacturing while broadening the portfolio and geographic reach.
The signal: Curis is betting that a mix of branded products at home and export channels abroad can diversify its revenue without straining its balance sheet. The Uninova deal and the Africa expansion together mark a shift from single-line operation toward a broader, multi-market pharmaceutical business.
Read more: businessmicro.in
Image credit: Monash Public Library Service
