India’s Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited and Bayer have signed an agreement allowing Sun Pharma to market and distribute a second brand of the drug finerenone in India under the brand name Lyvelsa.
Finerenone is a patented medicine indicated to reduce the risk of sustained decline in kidney function, end-stage kidney disease, cardiovascular death, non-fatal heart attack, and hospitalization for heart failure in adults with chronic kidney disease associated with type 2 diabetes.
Bayer first launched finerenone in 2022 under the brand name Kerendia. By granting Sun Pharma non-exclusive rights to market a second brand in India, the companies aim to increase access to this innovative treatment for Indian patients.
Shweta Rai, head of Bayer’s pharmaceuticals business in South Asia, said the partnership advances Bayer’s commitment to making healthcare more accessible. India has high rates of diabetes and associated kidney and heart conditions, so increasing availability of treatments such as finerenone is crucial to realizing their full value for deserving patients.
Kirti Ganorkar, CEO of Sun Pharma’s India business, emphasized the partnership underscores Sun Pharma’s commitment to making innovative medicines available in India.
Finerenone was approved by the U.S. FDA in July 2021 based on clinical trial results. It subsequently received marketing authorization from the European Commission in February 2022 and approval from Indian health authorities in April 2022. The drug represents an important therapeutic advance for reducing serious complications in the growing number of patients with diabetic kidney disease.
