Zydus Lifesciences (including its subsidiaries/affiliates hereafter referred to as “Zydus”) has entered into a non-exclusive patent licensing agreement with Takeda Pharmaceutical Company to market the novel Potassium Competitive Acid Blocker (P-CAB) Vonoprazan in India. The drug will be marketed under the brand name of Vault in India.
Under the terms of this agreement, Zydus will be marketing the drug in India. Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is quite prevalent condition affecting patients in India. The pooled prevalence of GERD in the Indian population is 15.6 per cent as per study published in Indian Journal of Gastroenterology, 2021, citing age, body mass index (BMI), diet, tea/coffee intake, tobacco, and alcohol consumption as risk factors1.
Speaking on the development, Dr. Sharvil Patel, Managing Director, Zydus Lifesciences said, “With a rich legacy in marketing gastrointestinal therapies in India, we have been offering different breakthrough clinical options across the spectrum. In keeping with our patient-centric approaches, we have been enabling access to newer treatment options and innovative healthcare solutions over nearly three decades. ”
Vonoprazan has a novel mechanism of action and it inhibits the binding of potassium ions to H+K+ ATPase (proton pump) in parietal cells in the stomach, thereby it suppresses basal and stimulated gastric acid secretion. Vonoprazan is approved in India by the DCGI for the treatment of adults with Reflux esophagitis and other Acid Peptic Disorders (APD).
References:
1. Indian Journal of Gastroenterology: Official Journal of the Indian Society of Gastroenterology, 06 Jan 2021, 40(2):209-219