Cipla will expand access to Lilly’s diabetes drugs by leveraging its distribution capabilities and engaging its professionals
Autoinjector with Trulicity by Lilly. (Credit: Raimond Spekking/ Wikimedia Commons.)
Lilly’s Indian unit has entered into a strategic partnership with pharmaceutical company Cipla to enhance the reach of its diabetes products Humalog and Trulicity in India.
Under the partnership, Cipla will obtain Lilly’s rights to market, promote and distribute its two diabetes products in India, subject to regulatory approvals.
Cipla will expand access to Lilly’s diabetes drugs by leveraging its distribution capabilities and engaging its professionals.
The US-based drugmaker is expected to continue its existing operating model for the remaining portfolio of products.
Lilly’s Indian subcontinent managing director Luca Visini said: “For more than 145 years, Lilly has been committed to uniting caring with discovery to create medicines that make life better for people around the world.
“We have remained true to that promise. Developing strategic partnerships to adopt different operating models is key to enabling Lilly’s global efforts to make innovative medicines available to more people in India and around the world.
“Today, we are proud to be announcing our partnership with Cipla, which, pending full regulatory approvals, will hold the rights to sell, market, and distribute select Lilly Diabetes portfolio products.”
Humalog is Lilly’s brand for Insulin Lispro (rDNA Origin), a type of insulin used for the treatment of type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Taken as an injection under the skin or with an insulin pump, it works similar to human insulin by increasing the uptake of glucose by tissues and decreasing glucose made by the liver.
Trulicity is the company’s brand name for dulaglutide, a once-weekly injection used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in combination with diet and exercise.
It was approved in the US for the reduction of major adverse cardiovascular events in adults with type 2 diabetes, with established or at-risk cardiovascular disease.
Cipla is engaged in developing medicines to treat respiratory, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, diabetes, weight control, depression, and other medical conditions.
Cipla India prescription business head Vikas Gupta said: “Enhancing access to high-quality treatments is central to our purpose of ‘Caring for Life’.
“Lilly’s in-depth scientific knowledge and core purpose of providing patients with access to innovative products are aligned to Cipla’s goals.
“We are pleased to collaborate and build onto our existing partnership with Lilly India towards bringing innovative diabetes medications to India.
“Diabetes continues to be our key focus and this deal further strengthens our steadfast commitment to address the unmet needs of diabetes patients through a comprehensive portfolio of offerings in this space.”