Takeda gives Sun Pharma, Cipla rights to commercialize gastro drug in India

BENGALURU (Reuters) – Japan’s Takeda Pharmaceutical gave India’s Sun Pharmaceutical and Cipla the rights to commercialize gastrointestinal drug Vonoprazan in the country.

The drug, which is sold in the form of tablets under the brand name ‘Voltapraz’, blocks a key step in the production of stomach acid, Sun Pharma said on Friday. Cipla announced the agreement late on Thursday.

Takeda has granted both drugmakers non-exclusive patent licensing rights for the drug.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) affects 5% to 28.5% of India’s population.

Earlier this month, Torrent Pharmaceuticals also partnered with Takeda to commercialize Vonoprazan in India.

Sun Pharmaceutical’s shares rose 0.7% on Friday, while Cipla was up 1%.

(Reporting by Navamya Ganesh Acharya in Bengaluru; Editing by Sonia Cheema)