Lupin Limited and Ind-Swift Limited have entered into a co-marketing pact to launch nitazoxanide, an anti-diarrhoeal/anthelmintic drug for the first time in India under the brand name Netazox and Nizonide respectively, according to a company release.

Nitazoxanide has anti amoebic & anthelmintic action and is indicated for Amoebiasis, Helminthiasis, Giardiasis, Fascioliasis, Trichomoniasis and Cryptosporidiosis.

Nitazoxanide is the first molecule in its segment to receive FDA approval in last 40 years for Giardiasis. Nitazoxanide is the only approved drug for the treatment of diarrhoea caused by cryptosporidium parvum to children in the 12-month to 11-year age group. It provides a convenient compliance advantage of a three-day therapy as against the prevalent five-day therapy offered by earlier molecules. The current market size of anti-diarrhoeal/ anthelmintic is estimated at around Rs. 150 crore.

Ind-Swift has recently obtained the approval from DCGI for the manufacture and launch of this drug in India. The drug has been launched in 500 mg tablets, 200 mg dispersible tablets and 100 mg/5 ml suspension forms.

Commenting on the launch, V K Mehta, director Ind-Swift, said, "Nitazoxanide is a new molecule with remarkable results. Most of the available therapies have low cure rates, with greater chance of resistance development, frequent dosages and the long duration of the treatment. Nitazoxanide is a relatively more effective drug developed in-house by the company's R&D. Ind Swift is optimistic on the success of this molecule".

Diarrhoea is the second biggest cause of child mortality in India. The WHO estimates that 40 lakh children under the age of five die each year from diarrhoea, mainly in developing countries. In India, the figure is six lakh deaths every year or to be precise 1,666 deaths per day.