Mumbai: Pharma Major Lupin Limited (Lupin) and Novartis Healthcare Private Limited (NHPL) have entered into a co-marketing agreement to promote Novartis’s Indacaterol / Glycopyrronium 110mcg/50mcg inhaler, a treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) under the brand name of Loftair®. Lupin would be using its own specialty field force to promote Loftair® inhaler. NHPL will continue to market Indacaterol / Glycopyrronium 110mcg/50mcg inhaler under its brand name Sequadra® through its own sales force.

Loftair® is a fixed dose combination of two bronchodilators: Indacaterol maleate, a long-acting beta2-adrenergic agonist (LABA) and glycopyrronium bromide, a long-acting anticholinergic (LAMA) for the treatment of COPD1. The once daily Indacaterol / Glycopyrronium combination significantly reduced the rate of moderate or severe exacerbations by 31% compared to the current standard of care (SFC twice-daily salmeterol + fluticasone combination) in patients with moderate-to-severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease2. This combination has also shown superior efficacy vs SFC (salmeterol/fluticasone) for lung function, breathlessness (assessed using the Transition Dyspnea Index), health-related quality of life (measured using the St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire) and on-demand (rescue medication) salbutamol use2. Indacaterol / Glycopyrronium combination is approved for use in COPD in 82 countries including US, EU, Japan, Canada, countries within Latin America and Australia. The agreement helps address the growing incidence of COPD, by making better treatment options available to patients in India.

Announcing the agreement, Mr. Shakti Chakraborty, Group President, India Region Formulations, Lupin said, “We at Lupin are excited about the expansion of our ongoing partnership with Novartis Healthcare Private Limited (NHPL) for the Inhalation / COPD segment. We had previously entered into a similar agreement with NHPL to market Onbrez®. We are confident that this partnership for Loftair® will enable us to further consolidate and strengthen our market leadership within the Indian COPD, Anti-Asthma, Inhalation therapy segments.” Lupin is a market leader, ranked 2nd with 12.4% market share of the overall Anti-Asthma segment within the Indian Pharmaceutical market (IMS MAT, Jan, 2016).

About COPD
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a progressive illness that includes the conditions emphysema and chronic bronchitis3. COPD makes it difficult to breathe, with symptoms that have a destructive impact on patients’ fitness (i.e. activity limitation, decreased mobility) and quality of life3,4. Whilst the symptoms of COPD can be experienced throughout the day, the morning is the most difficult time for patients, who find that their daily routines such as showering and getting ready are significantly slowed down due to COPD symptoms. COPD is often considered to be a disease of later years, but estimates suggest that 50% of those with COPD are below the age of 65, resulting in increases in absenteeism, premature retirement and reductions in workforce participation_5,1.

About Lupin Limited
Headquartered in Mumbai, Lupin is an innovation led transnational pharmaceutical company producing and developing a wide range of branded & generic formulations, biotechnology products and APIs globally. The Company is a significant player in the Cardiovascular, Diabetology, Asthma, Pediatric, CNS, GI, Anti-Infective and NSAID space and holds global leadership positions in the Anti-TB and Cephalosporin segment.

Lupin is the 6th largest and fastest growing top 10 generics player in the US (5.5% market share by prescriptions, IMS Health) and the 3rd largest Indian pharmaceutical company by sales globally. The Company is also the fastest growing top 10 generic pharmaceutical players in Japan (ranked 9th) and South Africa (ranked 4th – IMS Health).

For the financial year ended 31st March 2015, Lupin’s Consolidated turnover and Profit after Tax were Rs. 125,997 million (USD 2.06 billion) and Rs. 24,032 million (USD 393 million) respectively.

For more information, please contact –

Shamsher Gorawara
Head – Corporate Communications
Ph: +91-22- 98 20 338 555
Email: shamshergorawara@lupin.com

or

Alpesh Dalal
Head – M & A and Investor Relations
Lupin Limited
Ph: +91 98 20 023 511
Email: alpeshdalal@lupin.com

Ref.

1. India PI – Sequadra® Inhaler27-02-14.
2. Zhong N et al. Efficacy and safety of once-daily QVA149 compared with twice-daily salmeterol/fluticasone combination (SFC) in patients with COPD: the LANTERN study. [ERS abstract 700090; Session 281; Date: September 8 2014 Time: 12:50-14:40].
3. Vogelmeier C et al. QVA149 once daily is safe and well tolerated in patients with COPD: the ILLUMINATE study. [ATS abstract 41633; Session A43; Date: May 19, 2013, 8:15-16.30].
4. Zhong N et al. Efficacy and safety of once-daily QVA149 compared with twice-daily salmeterol/fluticasone combination (SFC) in patients with COPD: the LANTERN study. [ERS abstract 700090; Session 281; Date: September 8 2014 Time: 12:50-14:40].
5. Lung India, Aug 2013, Gupta et. al.: Indian COPD guidelines VOL. 30; Issue 3.

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