AstraZeneca and Sun Pharma have entered into a second exclusive brand partnership to expand access to Sodium Zirconium Cyclosilicate (SZC) in India. The collaboration aims to further accelerate the availability of this innovative and highly effective therapy for Hyperkalaemia, a potentially life-threatening condition caused by elevated potassium levels.

Hyperkalaemia disproportionately affects patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and those with heart failure (HF) receiving renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitor therapy. Prevalence estimates suggest that the condition occurs in up to 50 percent of patients with CKD and 42 percent of those living with chronic HF.

Under the agreement, both companies will promote, market and distribute SZC in India under different brand names. AstraZeneca will market the therapy as Lokelma while Sun Pharma will promote and distribute it as Gimliand. AstraZeneca will retain the intellectual property rights, holding the marketing authorisation along with the import license of the molecule.

Praveen Rao Akkinepally, Country President & Managing Director AstraZeneca Pharma India, 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 Pharma, noted that the partnership aims 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,” he added.