Glenmark and Torrent licensing deal for remogliflozin etabonate in India

Shares of Indian drugmaker Glenmark Pharmaceuticals (BSE: 532296) were up 1.93% at 454.50 rupees this morning after it revealed a non-exclusive sub-licensing agreement with fellow India based Torrent Pharmaceuticals (BSE: 500420) to co-market sodium glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, remogliflozin etabonate in India.

Under the terms of the agreement, Glenmark will receive an upfront payment, license fees and royalties for the non‐exclusive sub‐license rights from Torrent. Glenmark will manufacture and supply remogliflozin while Torrent will market the drug under its own trademark Zucator in India, the company said in the filing.

In April 2019, Glenmark received approval from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for remogliflozin etabonate after successfully completing Phase‐III clinical trials in which remogliflozin demonstrated good efficacy and safety profile in a head‐to‐head comparison against dapagliflozin.

Subsequently, Glenmark launched remogliflozin indicated in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus in adults under the brand names Remo and Remozen, while Torrent will commercialize remogliflozin under the brand name Zucator.

Moreover, remogliflozin is available at a breakthrough price that is significantly lower and cost-effective over other SGLT‐2 inhibitors available in the country. In fact, remogliflozin is the only SGLT2 inhibitor to be manufactured in India from an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) to the formulation.