AstraZeneca Pharma India and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries have formed a strategic partnership to market and distribute Sodium Zirconium Cyclosilicate (SZC), an innovative treatment for hyperkalaemia, across India.

Under the agreement, both companies will promote and distribute the therapy using different brand names. AstraZeneca will market the therapy as Lokelma, while Sun Pharma will promote and distribute it as Gimliand. AstraZeneca will continue to retain the intellectual property rights for SZC. The company will also hold the Marketing Authorisation along with the import license for the molecule.

Praveen Rao Akkinepally, Country President & Managing Director AstraZeneca Pharma India Limited said, “At AstraZeneca, we aim to transform care with a focus on increasing early screening, diagnosis, and adoption of guideline-directed medical therapy to improve patient outcomes. This partnership with Sun Pharma for SZC reaffirms AstraZeneca's purpose to deliver innovative, life-changing medicines to patients with Hyperkalaemia across India, coupled with building robust pathways to reach patients in need. With this step, we are poised to significantly expand the reach of this vital therapy and help address the disease burden”.

Kirti Ganorkar, Managing Director, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited said, “We are delighted to join hands with AstraZeneca to address the growing challenge of Hyperkalaemia in India. The addition of SZC to our portfolio underscores our unwavering commitment to improving the care of patients with chronic kidney disease. As India’s largest pharmaceutical company and a leader in this therapy area, we remain focused on expanding access to innovative treatments that empower healthcare professionals and enhance the quality of life for patients”.

Hyperkalaemia is a clinically significant condition that disproportionately affects patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and those with heart failure (HF) receiving renin–angiotensin– aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitor therapy, which can elevate serum potassium levels.