Glenmark Pharmaceuticals on Monday said it was the first pharmaceutical firm to launch in India an intravenous injection formulation, Akynzeo, for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV), under an exclusive licensing agreement with Helsinn, a Swiss biopharma group company.
It is a fixed-dose combination of fosnetupitant (235 mg) and palonosetron (0.25 mg), and is available as a ready-to-dilute IV injection. It is administered as a single infusion 30 minutes prior to the start of each chemotherapy cycle that helps prevent, both, acute and delayed phases of CINV, according to a company statement shared with exchanges on Monday.
The drug is already being marketed in the EU, the US, and Australia.
Alok Malik, Executive Vice-President for India Formulations, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, said, "At Glenmark, we are unwavering in our pursuit to help patients and clinicians in cancer care. Chemotherapy is the most common form of cancer treatment, with nausea and vomiting being two of its most debilitating side-effects. Akynzeo IV is a convenient, single-dose, ready-to-dilute I.V. (intravenous) injection that covers, both, the acute and the delayed phases of CINV, thereby enabling patients to avoid multiple antiemetic drugs, and improving compliance."
Helsinn Group Chief Executive Officer Giorgio Calderari said, "Akynzeo I.V. would provide a new prophylactic option for patients in India, undergoing chemotherapy and who are at risk of CINV. We are delighted to partner with Glenmark who has an excellent footprint in this region and is trusted with providing the best treatment options for cancer patients."
According to the latest National Cancer Registry Programme data, cancer cases in the country are projected to rise by 12.8 per cent by 2025 from 13.9 lakh cases in 2020. Glenmark has a strong legacy of being the first to introduce new and effective prophylactic treatment options for CINV among cancer patients in India. Glenmark Pharmaceuticals is an innovation-driven, global pharmaceutical company with a presence across Branded, Generics, and over-the-counter (OTC) segments; with a focus on therapeutic areas of respiratory, dermatology and oncology.
Helsinn is a fully integrated global biopharma company headquartered in Lugano, Switzerland. It is focused on improving the lives of cancer patients all over the world with a leading position in cancer supportive care and a focus on cancer therapeutics and rare diseases.
( With inputs from ANI )
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