Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd and AstraZeneca Pharma India Limited has announced a partnership for the distribution of dapagliflozin, an innovative type 2 diabetes medicine, in India. Dapagliflozin is AstraZeneca India’s leading diabetes medicine.

Under the agreement, Sun Pharma will promote and distribute dapagliflozin under the brand name 'Oxra'. AstraZeneca India markets dapagliflozin under the brand name 'Forxiga' and under the terms of the agreement, both companies will promote, market and distribute dapagliflozin in India under different brand names. AstraZeneca will retain the intellectual property rights to dapagliflozin.

Sun Pharma will also gain the rights to promote and distribute the combination of dapagliflozin with metformin under the brand name 'Oxramet', following regulatory approval. AstraZeneca India is currently seeking approval from the Drugs Controller General of India for the combination of dapagliflozin with metformin.

Abhay Gandhi, chief executive office, India Business, Sun Pharma says, “This agreement for dapagliflozin further strengthens our partnership with AstraZeneca India. The addition of this innovative type 2 diabetes treatment bolsters our diabetes portfolio. We believe the extended portfolio will further enhance our service capabilities to offer customers & patients innovative medicines at affordable prices. Sun Pharma enjoys a strong relationship with the physician community, especially diabetologists, endocrinologists and consulting physicians treating patients with diabetes across India. Through this partnership with AstraZeneca, access to dapagliflozin will be enhanced for doctors & type 2 diabetes patients in India.”

Sanjay Murdeshwar, managing director, AstraZeneca India says, “AstraZeneca is committed to addressing unmet need in the treatment of type 2 diabetes by offering treatment options to physicians that meet the needs of individual patients. Dapagliflozin represents a significant advancement in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and this agreement supports our strategy of working with a local partner to maximise the value from our innovative medicines in a key emerging market. It ensures a greater number of patients will have access to this important treatment option.”

Diabetes is estimated to affect approximately 69.2 million people in India and more than 415 million people worldwide. By 2040, this will rise to 642 million and type 2 is the most common form of diabetes.

The size of the overall Indian anti-diabetes market is more than Rs. 8400 crore (includes type 1 & 2), growing at approximately 21 per cent Y-O-Y and highly fragmented with approximately 50 active players. However, the top 5 players (which includes Sun Pharma) cumulatively account for 50 per cent of this market. Sun Pharma’s current diabetes portfolio comprises of over 40 specialty products with a market share of more than 8 per cent. It has the potential to significantly expand patient access to dapagliflozin and the combination of dapagliflozin with metformin treatment in India.

AstraZeneca India has a broad non-insulin portfolio addressing type 2 diabetes and offers medicines in all the three novel and fast growing classes of type 2 diabetes treatments: Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, SGLT2 inhibitor and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonists in India.