Mankind Pharma in licensing pact with Takeda to market acidity drug Vonoprazan in India

Mankind Pharma on Tuesday said it has entered into a non-exclusive patent licensing agreement with Japanese drug maker Takeda for commercialising the latter's drug Vonoprazan in the Indian market.

The agreement allows Mankind Pharma to launch the novel drug for treating Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) under its trademark.

Vonoprazan is a potassium-competitive acid blocker (P-CAB) used for the treatment of acid-related disorders, including Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD).


The drug is effective in treating conditions such as erosive oesophagitis, gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, peptic ulcer, gastro-oesophageal reflux, reflux oesophagitis, and Helicobacter pylori eradication.

Mankind Pharma is prioritising in-licensing deals to bring innovative therapies to boost domestic formulation business.

The Delhi-based company has entered into in-licensing agreements with Novartis for heart failure therapy Neptaz. In May, 2024 it signed a licensing agreement with AstraZeneca to distribute inhaled corticosteroid drug Symbicort in India.

Indian drug companies like Mankind are using in-licensing to market and distribute innovative drugs of multinational companies in the Indian market. They pay royalty on sales. The MNCs use licensing to expand access of their products in the Indian market using the help of local companies' pan-India sales network.

“By introducing Vonoprazan, we aim to address a significant medical need and improve the quality of life for those suffering from acid-related illnesses with a new and advanced option for managing acid-related disorders, potentially offering improved health outcomes and quality of life,” said M Ramesh, EVP, Global Business Development, Mankind Pharma.