AstraZeneca and Sun Pharma partner to help patients living with Hyperkalaemia in India

New Delhi: AstraZeneca Pharma India Limited and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited  have announced a second brand partnership for Sodium Zirconium Cyclosilicate (SZC) in India. This exclusive agreement is aimed at further accelerating availability of SZC, an innovative and highly effective treatment for Hyperkalaemia to more patients across India.

Under the agreement, both companies will promote, market & distribute SZC in India under different brand names; AstraZeneca will market SZC as Lokelma^® whereas Sun Pharma will promote and distribute the therapy as Gimliand^®. AstraZeneca will retain the intellectual property rights to SZCand hold the Marketing Authorisation along with the import license of the molecule. 

Praveen Rao Akkinepally, Country President & Managing Director AstraZeneca Pharma India Limited 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 Limited 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. 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. ^[2,4] In India, mortality associated with Hyperkalaemia has been reported at 22.2%. Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate (SZC) offers a rapid, effective, and generally well‑tolerated treatment option for the management of Hyperkalaemia.

Sun Pharma is the largest pharmaceutical company in India, with an 8.3% market share and ranks No. 1 in prescriptions across 13 different doctor categories. With a 15,000-strong field force, the company leads in chronic therapies and maintains a strong presence in the acute segment.

Building upon AstraZeneca’s ambition to advance science, transform care and help manage life threatening conditions like Hyperkalaemia, this strategic step is a significant move in improving the management of Hyperkalaemia in India; promising enhanced availability to a crucial treatment and ultimately contributing to better patient outcomes nationwide.