Lilly and Cipla sign a distribution & promotion agreement for type 2 diabetes drug in India

New Delhi: Eli Lilly India and Cipla Limited have announced an agreement to distribute and promote tirzepatide in India under a second brand name, Yurpeak^®.

Under the agreement, Cipla has the rights to distribute and promote Yurpeak^®—the second brand of tirzepatide in India. This strategic agreement aims to expand the availability of tirzepatide by enabling broader access across the country beyond cities where Lilly already has an established presence. Lilly will manufacture and supply Yurpeak^® to Cipla, and the price will be the same as Mounjaro^®.

“The introduction of a second brand of tirzepatide in India through our commercial agreement with Cipla furthers Lilly’s commitment to expanding access to innovative treatments for chronic conditions,” said Winselow Tucker, President and General Manager, Lilly India. “Our mission —to make life better for people around the world — drives our commitment to accelerate the introduction of innovative medicines and expand access to hard-to-reach communities. With India facing a growing burden of type 2 diabetes and obesity, broader availability of tirzepatide will ensure that more patients can benefit from this innovative therapy.”

Commenting on the agreement, Achin Gupta, Global Chief Operating Officer, Cipla Limited, said, “At Cipla, we remain steadfast in our commitment to advancing patient care by facilitating access to the best of global scientific innovation. With the introduction of Yurpeak^® (tirzepatide), we are stepping into obesity care with the same commitment and scale that have defined our efforts in respiratory and chronic therapies. Our partnership with Lilly reflects our resolve to address one of the most pressing health concerns of our time and offer patients innovative, accessible solutions that can transform health outcomes.”

Tirzepatide is a prescription based the first and only dual agonist of glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptors, indicated as an adjunct to diet and exercise for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and chronic weight management in adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30) or overweight (BMI ≥ 27) with at least one weight-related comorbidity.

Yurpeak^® (tirzepatide) will be available in the KwikPen^® presentation, a multi-dose single-patient-use prefilled pen.  Each pen contains four fixed doses, administered once weekly. The pen will be available in six dose strengths: 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 12.5 mg, or 15 mg, allowing healthcare professionals to personalize treatment plans to better suit individual patient needs.

India has about 101 million people living with diabetes and nearly half of these in the adult patients category are being inadequately treated with suboptimal glycemic control.¹ Obesity, a chronic relapsing disease, is a major risk factor for diabetes and linked to more than 200 health complications, including, coronary heart disease, cancer, and obstructive sleep apnea. As of 2023, adult obesity prevalence in India stood at around 6.5%, affecting nearly 100 million people.