Cipla acquires anti-infective product Elores from Venus Remedies

Homegrown pharma major Cipla said it has acquired a novel and patented anti-infective product, Elores, from Venus Remedies (VRL) for the Indian market. The acquisition is aimed at further strengthening the firm’s presence in branded Indian critical care space, and as a part of its agenda to contribute to the fight against anti-microbial resistance (AMR), Cipla said in a regulatory filing.

The company, however, did not disclose the value of the deal.

Elores is a novel combination of Ceftriaxone (a third-generation beta-lactam cephalosporin), Sulbactam (a beta-lactamase inhibitor) and Disodium EDTA, an antibiotic resistance breaker (ARB), indicated for the treatment of life threatening infections caused by gram-negative bacteria, it said.

The product was launched in India across select tertiary care hospitals in the country in 2013 after approval from the Drug Controller General of India, Cipla said.

Cipla Managing Director and Global Chief Executive Officer Umang Vohra said, “Elores underscores our commitment to anti-microbial stewardship and is a significant addition to our branded portfolio of anti-infectives in India.”

The company had recently acquired Zemdri, and with the acquisition of Elores, Cipla has added to its offering of new generation antibiotics, he added.

“In keeping with our purpose of ‘caring for life’, Elores will improve patient access to innovative quality medicines and help patients battle life-threatening resistance at critical junctures,” Vohra said.

Venus Medicine Research Centre Saransh Chaudhary said Elores was the company’s response to the problem of AMR and it has been very satisfying to see the difference that it has made in the lives of patients.

“I am positive that Cipla will expand the reach of Elores to many more patients in India while ensuring a similar commitment to anti-microbial stewardship,” he added.

Cipla said AMR has emerged as a critical threat to public health. At the present rate, it is estimated that as many as 10 million individuals worldwide could die annually from complications related to AMR.