Aventis Pharma Ltd is a pharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and markets branded prescription drugs and vaccines to protect and improve the quality of life of people around the world. The company provides medicines for the treatment of patients in several therapeutic areas such as Cardiovascular Disease, Thrombotic Diseases, Metabolic Disorders, Oncology, Disorders of the Central Nervous System, Internal medicine and Vaccines. They are having their manufacturing facilities at Ankleshwar in Gujarat and Verna in Goa. The company also manufactures their products on loan license which are manufactured in accordance with the same quality standards as those prevalent at their manufacturing sites. Aventis Pharma Ltd was incorporated in May 1956 under the name Hoechst Fedco Pharma Pvt Ltd. Over the years, the name was changed to Hoechst Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd, Hoechst India Ltd and Hoechst Marion Roussel Ltd. Sanofi-aventis, one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies, and their 100% subsidiary, Hoechst GmbH, are the major shareholders of Aventis Pharma Ltd and together hold 50.12% of their paid-up share capital. During the year 1997-98, the joint venture company Chiron Behring Vaccines Pvt Ltd started to manufacture anti-rabbies vaccine 'Rabipur'. Roussel India Ltd was amalgameted with the company with effect from April 1 1997 and Hoechst Nepal (Pvt) Ltd, a subsidiary company in Nepal has been wound up during the year. During the year 1999-2000, Aventis has launched anti-diabetic Amaryl broad spectrum anti-infective Tavanic and line extension of anti-hypertensive Cardace H. In the year 2001, Rhone-Poulenc Rorer (India) Pvt Ltd was amalgamated with the company. The company name was changed from Hoechst Marion Roussel Ltd to Aventis Pharma Ltd with effect from July 11 2001. In July 2003. the company launched Lantus, the world's first and only once a day insulin and in December 2003, Actonel, designed for the treatment of osteoporosis was launched. In the year 2004, the company came under the control of Sanofi-Synthelabo, now called sanofi-aventis which acquired indirect control 50.1% of the company's paid-up share capital. In the year 2006, the company completed the project for setting up additional facilities for manufacturing Combiflam Tablets in Ankleshwar, Gujarat. In the year 2007, the company launched Cardace H 10 mg as a comprehensive cardiovascular treatment option in hypertension at risk patients. In May 2007, the company launched a line extension, Amaryl M. A new granulation train dedicated for production of Combiflam tablets was installed in Ankleshwar. This product which was being manufactured partly in a toll manufacturing site is now planned to be manufactured entirely in Ankleshwar. The company brands namely Combiflam, Cardace, Rabipur, Amaryl, Avil and AllegraTM feature in the top 100 brands of the retail market. In that, Cardace continues to be the number one cardiovascular brand in the Indian pharmaceutical market. The company plans to upgrade the capacities in Ankleshwar for the manufacture of Combiflam. Also, the Ankleshwar API plant will commence manufacture of Pentoxifylline which was so far imported and is the raw material for manufacture of Trental. The product will also be exported to Hungary. In April 2008, the company has launched a new prefilled diaposable insulin pen, SoloStar for use with the 24-hour insulin Lantus. This disposable insulin pen is to be used for the treatment of hyperglycemia in people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes