AstraZeneca Pharma and Sun Pharma enter second brand partnership for SZC in India

Drug firm AstraZeneca Pharma India Ltd on Monday (November 17) said the company and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd have entered into a second brand partnership for Sodium Zirconium Cyclosilicate (SZC) in India.

The agreement is aimed at accelerating the availability of SZC, described as an innovative and highly effective treatment for Hyperkalaemia, to a wider patient base across the country. As part of the arrangement, both companies will promote, market and distribute SZC in India under separate brand names.

AstraZeneca will market the therapy as Lokelma, while Sun Pharma will promote and distribute it as Gimliand. AstraZeneca will continue to retain the intellectual property rights for SZC. The company will also hold the Marketing Authorisation along with the import license for the molecule.

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Praveen Rao Akkinepally, Country President & Managing Director AstraZeneca Pharma India, said, "At AstraZeneca, we aim to transform care with a focus on increasing early screening, diagnosis, and adoption of guideline-directed medical therapy to improve patient outcomes.

This partnership with Sun Pharma for SZC reaffirms AstraZeneca's purpose to deliver innovative, life-changing medicines to patients with Hyperkalaemia across India, coupled with building robust pathways to reach patients in need. With this step, we are poised to significantly expand the reach of this vital therapy and help address the disease burden."

Kirti Ganorkar, Managing Director, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, said, “We are delighted to join hands with AstraZeneca to address the growing challenge of Hyperkalaemia in India. The addition of SZC to our portfolio underscores our unwavering commitment to improving the care of patients with chronic kidney disease.

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As India’s largest pharmaceutical company and a leader in this therapy area, we remain focused on expanding access to innovative treatments that empower healthcare professionals and enhance the quality of life for patients."

Hyperkalaemia is a clinically significant condition that disproportionately affects patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and those with heart failure (HF) receiving renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitor therapy, which can elevate serum potassium levels.

Prevalence estimates suggest that Hyperkalaemia occurs in up to 50% of patients with CKD and 42% of patients with chronic HF. To manage or prevent recurrence, RAAS inhibitor therapy is often reduced or discontinued, which may compromise cardiorenal outcomes and increase mortality risk.

Shares of Astrazeneca Pharma India Ltd ended at ₹9,132.00, down by ₹23.10, or 0.25%, on the BSE.

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