Lupin and Eli Lilly have announced a new partnership. The new agreement will allow Lupin to market and sell Eglucent®.
Lupin will market and sell the product through its own specialty field force while Lilly will be responsible for manufacturing and import though Lilly will continue to sell Lispro under the brand name Humalog® through its existing channels.
This comes at a time when Lupin has the distinction of being the only company in the Anti-Diabetes market (valued at Rs. 9,272 crore) with a contemporary portfolio comprising of oral anti-diabetes drugs and injectable drugs like conventional and analog insulins (total insulin market is valued at Rs. 2,207 crore). Lupin’s anti-diabetic portfolio contributes 16% to its India formulations sales. The total insulin Lispro molecule market size is INR 142 crore with a 3 year CAGR of 24% (IMS MAT September 2016).
An insulin analog is an altered form of insulin, different from any occurring in nature, but still available to the human body for performing the same action as human insulin in terms of glycemic control. The first insulin analog approved for human therapy (insulin Lispro rDNA) was manufactured by Eli Lilly and Company in 1983.
Edgard Olaizola, Managing Director, Lilly India said:
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.
Mr. 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.
About Eglucent®
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 had earlier collaborated with Lilly (July, 2011) to promote and distribute Lilly’s Huminsulin range of products in India and Nepal. Currently Lupin promotes and distributes Lilly’s Huminsulin Portfolio.