India's largest biotech firm Biocon could be developing potential ‘blockbuster’ drugs for treatment of cancer and diabetes, but the company's CMD Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw said it could take two-four years for them to hit the market.

"Well, I just think that I would love to develop a blockbuster drug with ‘Made in India’ label from our company", said the country's richest businesswoman when asked about her dream.

And the company could well be on its way to achieving this dream, going by what Mazumdar-Shaw has to say. "We have a very interesting research pipeline. We are developing a number of products which could be potential blockbusters," Mazumdar-Shaw said in an interview.

She, however, had a word of caution about the research, "but it's not something that can be predicted. Research is a very unpredictable business. If it happens it's a huge bonanza. If it doesn't, it's a huge lot of money.”

She said the drugs she was talking about were in the areas of cancer and diabetes. "Most of these products will take at least two to four years before you can even think of accessing the markets".

Mazumdar-Shaw, who was named among the world's 50 powerful women in business by Forbes last year, admits that stress was part of life when one runs a business of Biocon's magnitude.

Stock market expectations to keep performing and outperforming every quarter puts constant pressure on her. Mazumdar-Shaw, a recipient of Padmashri, started Biocon in 1978 in collaboration with an Irish firm.

Asked if she is happy with this kind of success, Mazumdar-Shaw quipped: "intellectual wealth-creation is always something you are proud of."

Mazumdar-Shaw said biotech business was tough to run no matter wherever one is in the world, because it had inherent risks, long gestation period and was a capital-intensive business. "Whether you are a man or woman, its the same. Its tough for anyone".

(www.expressindia.com)