AstraZeneca will market SZC as Lokelma whereas Sun Pharma will promote and distribute the therapy as Gimliand

AstraZeneca Pharma India and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries announced a second brand partnership for Sodium Zirconium Cyclosilicate (SZC) in India. The 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 and 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 SZC and hold the Marketing Authorisation along with the import license of the molecule.

Praveen Rao Akkinepally, Country President and Managing Director AstraZeneca Pharma India 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 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”.