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Drug-maker Sun Pharmaceutical Industries will promote and distribute AstraZeneca Pharma India’s cardiology drug Axcer in India.
Axcer is an additional brand of Astra drug ticagrelor that is used in treating acute coronary syndrome (ACS).
AstraZeneca already has a brand under the trademark Brilinta for the ticagrelor molecule, launched and marketed by it in India since 2012, a Sun statement said.
This is AstraZeneca’s second distribution agreement in about three days. The company had forged a distribution agreement with Dr Reddy’s Laboratories last week, on diabetes drug saxagliptin.
“The distribution agreements with Sun Pharma and Dr Reddy’s will enable us to bring our innovative treatment solutions to more number of Acute Coronary Syndrome( ACS) and Type 2 Diabetes patients in India, respectively,” AstraZeneca said.
While the latest collaboration allows AstraZeneca to reach more physicians, it strengthens Sun’s cardiology portfolio with the addition of a new patented therapy, the note said.
Axcer will be manufactured by AstraZeneca and distributed in India by Sun Pharma, AstraZeneca said, without clarifying on how the two brands of the same drug will be priced.
“Pricing for the Axcer brand is Sun Pharma’s decision,” AstraZeneca added.
Abhay Gandhi, Sun Pharma’s Chief Executive (India Business), said such collaborations were part of the company’s policy of becoming the partner of choice for promotion and distribution for innovative pharmaceutical products in the country.
For instance, Sun has an existing distribution agreement with multinational MSD (Merck, Sharp and Dohme) on diabetes drug sitagliptin, from 2011.
Sanjay Murdeshwar, AstraZeneca’s Managing Director, explained that ticagrelor works by preventing the formation of new blood clots, maintaining blood flow in the body and helping reduce a patient’s risk of another heart attack or cardiovascular-related death.
jyothi.datta@thehindu.co.in
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