RANBAXY AND ORCHID ANNOUNCE STRATEGIC BUSINESS ALLIANCE

RANBAXY AND ORCHID ANNOUNCE STRATEGIC BUSINESS ALLIANCE 
 
To leverage respective strengths for mutually beneficial business growth

Gurgaon (Haryana), Chennai (Tamil Nadu), India April 22, 2008

Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited (Ranbaxy) and Orchid Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Limited (Orchid) today announced that they have entered into a Business Alliance Agreement involving multiple geographies and therapies for both finished dosage formulations and active pharmaceutical ingredients. Additionally, this agreement would establish a framework for enhanced future co-operation between the two companies.

Speaking on the development, Mr. Malvinder Mohan Singh, CEO & MD, Ranbaxy, said, "Orchid is a niche player in the global pharmaceutical industry with an impressive track record, particularly in sterile products. We are pleased to enter into this long term strategic alliance with Orchid. The agreement will be mutually beneficial and synergistic, allowing both organisations to leverage each others inherent strengths."

Commenting on the alliance, Mr. K. Raghavendra Rao, Managing Director, Orchid, said, "We are happy to join hands with Ranbaxy, India's largest pharmaceutical company. Ranbaxy's global scale and market reach and Orchid's state-of-the-art development and manufacturing capabilities would expand the business of both companies. We believe that this will be a win-win arrangement for both companies”.

About Ranbaxy:

Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited, India's largest pharmaceutical company, is an integrated, research based, international pharmaceutical company producing a wide range of quality, affordable generic medicines, trusted by healthcare professionals and patients across geographies. Ranbaxy’s continued focus on R&D has resulted in several approvals in developed markets and significant progress in New Drug Discovery Research. The Company’s foray into Novel Drug Delivery Systems has led to proprietary "platform technologies," resulting in a number of products under development. The Company is serving its customers in over 125 countries and has an expanding international portfolio of affiliates, joint ventures and alliances, ground operations in 49 countries and manufacturing operations in 11 countries.

About Orchid:

Orchid Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd. is a leading pharmaceutical company headquartered in Chennai, India involved in the development, manufacture and marketing of diverse pharmaceutical products. With exports spanning more than 75 countries, Orchid is the largest manufacturer-exporter of cephalosporin bulk actives and dosage forms in India and is ranked amongst the Top 5-cephalosporin producers in the world. It has a leading position in the US cephalosporin generics business.

Orchid has world-class, USFDA and UK MHRA approved API and dosage form facilities at Chennai and Aurangabad. Orchid has state-of-the-art GLP compliant R&D centres for API research, drug discovery and pharmaceutical research at Chennai. Orchid has ISO 9001:2000, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certifications. Orchid is listed on the National Stock Exchange (NSE), Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and the Madras Stock Exchange (MSE) in India. Additional information is available at the company’s website at www.orchidpharma.com [1]

For further information please contact:

Ranbaxy Contacts:

Ramesh L. Adige
Executive Director- Corporate Affairs and Global Corporate
Communications
Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd.
Plot 90, Sector 32, Gurgaon
Haryana-122001, India
Tel: +91-124-4135000
e-mail: ramesh.adige@ranbaxy.com [2]

or

Raghu Kochar
Director-Corporate Communications
Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd.
Plot 90, Sector 32, Gurgaon
Haryana-122001, India
Tel: +91-124-4135141
e-mail: raghu.kochar@ranbaxy.com [3]

or

Krishnan Ramalingam
Sr.Manager- Corporate Communications
Plot 90, Sector 32, Gurgaon
Haryana-122001, India
Tel: +91-124-4135143
e-mail: krishnan.ramalingam@ranbaxy.com [4]

Orchid Contact:

Mr Ch Ram
Head, Corporate Communications & Investor Relations
Orchid Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
‘Orchid Towers’
313, Valluvar Kottam High Road, Nungambakkam,
Chennai - 600 034. INDIA
Direct: 91-44-28244908 / 28244910 (DID)
Phones: 91-44-28211000, 28230000 Extn: 910 / 908
Mobile: 98400 11626
Mail ID: ram@orchidpharma.com [5]