Cipla partners with Roche to provide oncology drugs in India

Cipla Limited and Roche Products (India) Pvt Ltd have joined hands to provide better access and innovative medicines for patients in India. Through this partnership, Cipla will undertake the activities of marketing and distribution of Roche’s key trademark oncology drugs like Trastuzumab (Herclon), Bevacizumab (Avastin) and Rituximab (Ristova).

Trastuzumab (Herclon) is used for the treatment for cancers that have large amounts of a protein called human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), for early and advanced breast cancer as well as advanced stomach cancer. Avastin (bevacizumab) is an antiangiogenic drug used to treat a certain type of brain tumor as well as cancers of the kidney, colon, rectum, lung or breast. Rituximab (Ristova) is an anticancer medicine that is used alone or in a combination with other medicines for the treatment of various types of blood cancers and is also used for the treatment of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, microscopic polyangitis etc.

Both these companies had earlier entered into similar agreement in February 2018 for promotion and distribution of Tocilizumab (Actemra) and other products. Tocilizumab is used to treat moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis in adults and polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis in adults and children of age two years and older.

Roche Products (India) Pvt Ltd is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Roche Group. Roche is the world’s largest biotech company, with truly differentiated medicines in oncology, immunology, infectious diseases, ophthalmology and diseases of the central nervous system.

Oncology is an emerging therapeutic segment for Cipla. This segment is growing stronger in India and South African markets (especially Brazil). Out of the total speciality products launches, which Cipla plans to make by 2023, approximately 30 per cent will be used for Oncology. This partnership may help Cipla to further strengthen its oncology segment.

On Friday, the stock of Cipla opened 1.7 per cent gap-up at Rs 652.50 from its previous  close of Rs 641.55 on BSE.