Lupin Acquires Trademarks For Three Diabetes Drugs From Germany's Boehringer Ingelheim
The trademarks will be transferred to Lupin by March next year. The company has been marketing two of these diabetes drugs in India since 2016.
Lupin Ltd. on Friday said it has acquired trademarks of three anti-diabetes medications from German pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim.
According to the company's exchange filing, the acquisition of the three trademarks—Gibtulio, Gibtulio Met, and Ajaduo—will enable it to offer a wider range of diabetes treatments in India. However, it did not mention the transaction value.
“This acquisition is a key step in strengthening our diabetes portfolio and reaffirms our commitment to delivering innovative and cost-effective medications for patients across India,” said Nilesh Gupta, managing director of Lupin.
The pharmaceutical major added that according to the agreement, the trademark rights of the brands will be transferred to Lupin by March next year.
Lupin added that it has been marketing Gibtulio and Gibtulio Met in India since 2016, while it began selling Ajaduo in the country only in 2018. This was done through existing co-marketing agreements with Boehringer Ingelheim India.
All three medications belong to a "novel class of oral anti-diabetic drug, sodium glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitor (and combinations)", the company said. They help to control blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes. However, these medications are meant to be used in addition to diet and exercise.
Empagliflozin in the medicines reduces the risk of cardiovascular death in adults with type 2 diabetes, and the risk of cardiovascular death and hospitalisation for heart failure in adults with chronic kidney disease, the press release added.
Rajeev Sibal, the company’s India region formulations president, said, “The increasing prevalence of diabetes and related lifestyle diseases calls for greater thrust on diabetes treatment and management, as well as accessibility of medicines for patients.”
An estimated 80 million people above the age of 18 years have diabetes in India, in addition to 25 million that are pre-diabetic, as per the release.
According to Sibal, the acquisition “enables us to deliver effective and affordable treatment options to millions across India”.
In the quarter ended Sept. 30, Lupin had reported a 74% rise in consolidated net profit to Rs 852.6 crore, against Rs 489.7 crore in the year-ago period.
Shares of Lupin closed 1.95% lower at Rs 2,075.75 apiece on the BSE, compared to a 1.04% advance in the benchmark Sensex.
