The year 2012 has brought a world of opportunities for Indian biotech companies, with big-wig biotech firms in the West facing a spree of patent expiration of their blockbuster products. Gradual expiry of patents will create significant market opportunities for developers through to 2016.

Between 2012 and 2019, the market will see a patent expiry of a whopping $60 billion (Rs 300,000 crore) worth of biotech drugs with Amgen being the most hard hit of all the companies. Its blockbuster drug for anemia, Epogen, which had a sale of about  $2.5 billion (12,500 crore) in 2008, will lose its patent in 2013. Another blockbuster drug Neupogen will lose its patent in 2013, while arthritis drug Enbreal will lose its patent in 2012. Epogen, Neupogen and Enbrel together account for half of Amgen's total revenue.