Zydus Boosts Drug Reach via New Partnerships: GlobalData

According to GlobalData, the collaboration with Sun Pharma and Lupin will allow Zydus Lifesciences to enhance the market presence of its new chemical entities (NCEs) desidustat (Oxemia) and saroglitazar (Lipaglyn) in the country. Desidustat was granted approval in India in March 2022 for the treatment of anemia related to chronic kidney disease (CKD), while saroglitazar received approval in June 2013 for diabetic dyslipidemia and hypertriglyceridemia. 2020 saw the approval of saroglitazar for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

In addition, saroglitazar has the distinction of being the first drug in the world to receive approval for NASH. Zydus Lifesciences has just formed co-marketing alliances with Sun Pharma for desidustat for anemia linked to CKD, and with Lupin for saroglitazar for NAFLD and NASH. Prashant Khadayate, a Pharma Analyst at GlobalData, noted with pleasure the partnership between Indian pharmaceutical giants Sun Pharma and Lupin with Zydus Lifesciences, a major domestic player, for the development of a new chemical entity (NCE) drug. It is uncommon to witness such partnerships between major pharmaceutical companies in India. Historically, Indian pharmaceutical companies have primarily partnered with multinational foreign players for such collaborations. The analyst suggested that the limited number of homegrown NCE drugs in the Indian pharma company's portfolio may have contributed to the lack of opportunity for a partnership.