Three pharma companies gained 1.17% and 14.55% at 13:18 on reports they are in fray to bag government contract for manufacturing a vaccine used in treating swine flu.
Cipla (up 1.17%), Ranbaxy Laboratories (up 6.38%) and Natco Pharma (up 14.55%) edged higher.
As per reports, drugmakers Cipla, Ranbaxy Laboratories, Natco Pharma and the unlisted Hetero Drugs are in the fray to bag the government's contract to buy 20 million low cost anti-flu medicine Tamiflu, which are used in treating the deadly swine flu pandemic. Reports further indicated that these companies will also benefit from retail sales of the drug as the government will allow companies to sell these medicines directly to the consumer in the next two weeks to control the spread of swine flu.