Lupin and Eli Lilly and Company (India) Pvt. Ltd. (Lilly) have expanded their partnership in India with the launch of Eglucent, a new brand of Lilly’s rapid-acting insulin analog Lispro.

According to the agreement, Lupin will market and sell Eglucent through its own specialty field force while Lilly will be responsible for manufacturing and import. Lilly will continue to sell Lispro under the brand name Humalog through its existing channels. Lupin had earlier collaborated with Lilly (July, 2011) to promote and distribute Lilly’s Huminsulin range of products in India and Nepal.

Eglucent is indicated for the treatment of patients with diabetes mellitus. It is an injectable medication designed to improve blood sugar control in patients with type 1 and 2 diabetes. Eglucent will be available in the Indian market in both, the cartridge and disposable pen form. Eglucent is a prescription drug that should be taken only when prescribed by a registered physician. It is intended as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve the glycemic control.

Lupin is the 5th largest company in the anti-diabetes segment with a market share of 6.34% growing at 18% (IMS MAT September 2016). Lupin also has the distinction of being the only company in the anti-diabetes market with a contemporary portfolio comprising of oral anti-diabetes drugs (OAD) and injectable drugs like conventional and analog insulins. Lupin’s anti-diabetic portfolio contributes 16% to its India formulations sales (FY 2016).

The Indian diabetes market is valued at Rs. 9,272 crore and is growing at 19% (IMS MAT September 2016). The total insulin market is valued at Rs. 2,207 crore, out of which the insulin analogue market size is valued at Rs. 1,106 crore with a 3 year CAGR of 28% (IMS MAT September 2016). The total insulin Lispro molecule market size is Rs. 142 crore with a 3 year CAGR of 24% (IMS MAT September 2016).

“We have been very pleased with our partnership with Lupin and are happy to see it grow with the launch of Eglucent. The intent of this launch, which is the first for Lilly in the entire Emerging Markets region, is to increase the reach of analog insulin Lispro to more patients and healthcare professionals. We believe this is a big step in our journey to help fight the rising disease burden in India.” said Edgard Olaizola, m director, Lilly India.

Announcing the launch, Shakti Chakraborty, group president, India Region Formulations, Lupin said, “We are excited about expanding our partnership with Eli Lilly with the launch of Eglucent and the progress that we together have made to combat the rising incidence of diabetes in India. Our entry into the rapid-acting insulin analog segment will not only bolster our existing diabetes portfolio but will also go a long way in strengthening our position in the Indian pharmaceutical market.”

Eli Lilly and Company (India) Pvt. Ltd. (Lilly), headquartered in Gurgaon, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Eli Lilly and Company, a global biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Indianapolis, USA.