India; January 23, 2023: Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (Glenmark), an innovation‐driven, global pharmaceutical company, is the first to launch in India a unique I.V. injection formulation, AKYNZEO® I.V., for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV), under an exclusive licensing agreement with Helsinn, a Swiss biopharma group company.
AKYNZEO® I.V. is a fixed dose combination of fosnetupitant (235 mg) and palonosetron (0.25 mg), and is available as a ready-to-dilute I.V. injection. It is administered as a single infusion 30 minutes prior to the start of each chemotherapy cycle that helps prevent, both, acute and delayed phases of CINV. The drug is already being marketed in the EU, the US, and Australia.
On the occasion of the launch, Alok Malik, EVP & Business Head ‐ India Formulations, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd., said, “At Glenmark, we are unwavering in our pursuit to help patients and clinicians in cancer care. Chemotherapy is the most common form of cancer treatment, with nausea and vomiting being two of its most debilitating side-effects. AKYNZEO® I.V. is a convenient, single-dose, ready-to-dilute I.V. injection that covers, both, the acute and the delayed phases of CINV, thereby enabling patients to avoid multiple antiemetic drugs, and improving compliance.”
Helsinn Group CEO, Giorgio Calderari, said, “AKYNZEO® I.V would provide a new prophylactic option for patients in India, undergoing chemotherapy and who are at risk of CINV. We are delighted to partner with Glenmark who has an excellent footprint in this region and is trusted with providing the best treatment options for cancer patients.”
Glenmark’s Leadership in Cancer Supportive Care Therapy
As per the latest National Cancer Registry Programme data, cancer cases in the country are projected to rise by 12.8% by 2025 from 13.9 lakh cases in 2020. Glenmark has a strong legacy of being the first to introduce new and effective prophylactic treatment options for CINV among the cancer patients in India. Around two decades ago, Glenmark launched Aprecap® (Aprepitant Capsules), the first NK1 receptor blocker, and few years later, introduced Aprecap® I.V. injection. Subsequently in 2018, Glenmark revolutionized cancer supportive care in the country by launching AKYNZEO® Oral Capsules, the first and only CINV prevention therapy to prevent both acute and delayed phases of CINV by a single dose.
