Zydus, Lupin sign pact to co-market weight-loss Semaglutide injection in India

Zydus Lifesciences Limited on Tuesday entered into a Licensing and Supply Agreement with global pharma major, Lupin Limited to expand access to weight-lossSemaglutide Injection (15 mg/3 ml) in India.

Zydus will market Semaglutide injection with a patient-friendly reusable pen device in the country.

What is Semaglutide?

As per the company, Semaglutide is indicated for the treatment of adults with insufficiently controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus as an adjunct to diet and exercise

• as monotherapy, when metformin is considered inappropriate due to intolerance or contraindications
• in addition to other medicinal products for the treatment of diabetes

The injection can also act as a supplement to a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity for chronic weight management in adults with an initial body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 or greater (obesity) or 27 kg/m2 or greater (overweight), in the presence of at least one weight-related comorbid condition (e.g., hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, or dyslipidemia).

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Lupin will have semi-exclusive rights to co-market Zydus’ innovative Semaglutide Injection in the Indian market under the brand names Semanext and Lupin’s Livarise.

Meanwhile, Zydus will market the Semaglutide injection under the brand names SEMAGLYNTM, MASHEMATM and ALTERMETM. Under the pact, Lupin will pay Zydus upfront licensing fees and milestone payments on achieving pre-defined milestones.

"This partnership brings together Zydus’ strong product development capabilities and Lupin’s extensive reach in the Indian market, with the shared objective of bringing advanced therapies for metabolic disorders," the company said in a regulatory filing.

Speaking on the development, Dr. Sharvil Patel, Managing Director at Zydus said, “...The innovative pen device we are offering is designed to make therapy simpler and improve quality of life. We are pleased to join hands with Lupin to broaden access to this medicine and the novel patient-friendly delivery device, thereby expand its reach across India.”

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Nilesh Gupta, Managing Director at Lupin, called the partnership a 'significant step' in strengthening commitment to providing advanced treatment options for cardio-metabolic diseases.

"As GLP-1 therapies continue to redefine treatment standards globally, this collaboration enhances our diabetes portfolio and reinforces our focus on addressing unmet patient needs. Together, we aim to expand access to innovative, high-quality treatment options for patients and support healthcare professionals across India," Gupta said.