Dr Reddy's Laboratories has entered into a strategic collaboration with Amgen to market and distribute three Amgen medicines in India in the areas of oncology and cardiology. Under the terms of the collaboration, DRL will undertake a full range of regulatory and commercial services to seek approval and launch Kyprolis (carfilzomib), Blincyto (blinatumomab and Repatha (evolocumab) in India.
Alok Sonig, executive vice president and head of India business and global business development, said, “We are excited about our strategic collaboration with an innovation powerhouse like Amgen and look forward to making their innovative medicines accessible to Indian patients. Addressing significant unmet needs of patients in oncology and cardiovascular are key areas in India and, therefore, a priority for us at Dr Reddy's. We believe that good health can't wait and that this is an important milestone for us in our journey as we improve patient care.”
Penny Wan, vice president and general manager of Amgen's Japan Asia Pacific Region, said, “We are pleased to be joining forces with Dr Reddy's Laboratories in order to make Amgen's innovative medicines available to patients in India. Dr Reddy's has significant experience serving oncology and cardiovascular patients in India and shares Amgen's interest in delivering new treatment options to seriously ill patients.”
Kyprolis was approved by the US FDA in July 2015, in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone, for the treatment of patients with relapsed multiple myeloma who have received one to three prior lines of therapy. Kyprolis is also indicated under FDA accelerated approval as a single agent for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma who have received a least two prior therapies including bortezomib and an immunomodulatory agent and have demonstrated disease progress on or within 60 days of completion of the last therapy.
Blincyto is an example of immunotherapy, a treatment that uses certain parts of a person's immune system to fight diseases such as cancer. Blincyto is the first approved bispecific CD19-directed CD3 T-cell engager. Further, Amgen received marketing authorisation from the European Commission for Repatha, the first proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitor to be approved in the world, for the treatment of patients with uncontrolled cholesterol despite taking maximum doses of statins.
Meanwhile, DRL is planning to expand its presence in western Europe like France, Italy and Spain with new products in the coming years. The company is looking out good opportunities for acquisition and mergers. Its revenue from North America worked out to 44 per cent of its total revenues and that from India contributed around 15 per cent. Russian market remained as second largest contributor in its total revenue. However, depreciation of Russian currency against US dollar put pressure on Russian sales.
While talking to media persons in Mumbai, Satish Reddy, chairman, said, “India has good opportunities despite several odds. The Indian pharma segment is set to achieve growth despite challenges in US, Europe and emerging markets. The US market is largest and there are several growth opportunities for Indian generic companies. However, the uncertainty in respect of pharma pricing policy and others issues in India is putting pressure. The Industry is working with regulators to resolves issues.”
He said that the company is focusing on R&D and product launch. Though the approval from US FDA is declined during couple of years, the R&D based companies have created strong product pipeline. Rural markets in India will create more opportunities in coming years and there will significant growth from segments like oncology, nephrology and other chronic diseases..
G V Prasad, co-chairman & CEO said, “Pricing of product got little attention in India. DRL is focusing more on healthcare and its new brand is a shift from medicine to health. The company is focusing on affordability of medicines and patients requirements.”
DRL has changed its brand which is based on a heart which represents its empathy for patients and partners. It embodies its sensitivity to patients problems, and its relentless search for solutions that bring good health to them. The circles on the right represent the dynamism that DRL bring to its work – always striving to be the first to bring good health to the world. The company choose purple as its corporate colour, which is signifies the balance between the stimulating red and the calming blue.