AstraZeneca, Sun Pharma Tie Up to Broaden Access to Hyperkalaemia Drug

AstraZeneca Pharma India Ltd. and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. have entered a brand partnership to distribute sodium zirconium cyclosilicate powder, a treatment for hyperkalaemia. AstraZeneca will retain the drug’s intellectual property, and will continue to hold the marketing authorisation and import licence, the company said in an exchange filing Monday.

The partnership aims to widen the drug’s availability. Both companies will promote, market, and distribute the medicine under separate brands, with AstraZeneca selling it as Lokelma and Sun Pharma selling it as Gimliand.

Hyperkalaemia is a condition marked by elevated potassium levels in the blood, commonly seen in patients with chronic kidney disease and in those being treated for heart failure, where some therapies can increase potassium levels.