Diabetes segment will remain most important for us: Edgard Olaizola

Interview with Managing Director, Eli Lilly India

This article has been modified. Please see clarification at the end.

Eli Lilly on Thursday launched a type 2 diabetes drug (GLP-1) at Rs 2,499 per injection. Anti-diabetic drug market has been one of the top four growing categories in the Indian pharmaceutical sector and almost 85 per cent of the company's revenue comes from it. Eli Lilly India's Managing Director Edgard Olaizola tells Deepak Patel how the company wants to keep its focus on this market. Edited excerpts:

What is your new drug all about?

Trulicity is the name of the medication and dulaglutide is the name of the molecule. Today (Thursday), we are launching this drug in India for type 2 diabetes. We have had multiple clinical trials and we have seen that this product provides a real good efficacy. Moreover, it has a proven safety profile. India is the third country in Asia where this drug has been launched. There are 65 million people with diabetes in India and it is really important for us to bring new innovative medicines here. Diabetes has been the core of our business - both in India and globally. We have been growing in double digits in India in diabetes sector. We foresee that we will continue to grow in this sector as usual.

Do you hold patent for this drug?

Yes, we have the intellectual property protection for this product in India. It is a first once-a-week injectable diabetes therapy. In the case of other drugs, patients have to take daily or more than once a day.

What were your total revenues last year and what are your expectations from this drug now?

I am not authorised to give you specific figures. But, I can tell you that overall, we have been growing double digits. Diabetes business account for about 85 per cent of our revenues in India and this sector is also showing the same double digit growth. I am very pleased with our growth in India and we hope to remain one of the fastest growing companies in India.

Currently, your focus is on diabetes. Aren't you thinking of entering any other growing segments such as SGLT2 inhibitors, gliptins etc?

Globally, we have partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim. In some countries, where we have partnership, we have launched oral medications such as SGLT2 inhibitors and DPP4 inhibitors (gliptins). Here in India, we don't do that. We operate differently in India and we really want to focus on injectables and products like Trulicity.

You said 85 per cent of your revenues come from diabetes. Your remaining revenues come from drugs in oncology, osteoporosis etc. In the coming years, are you planning to diversify beyond these two or three sectors?

We have got new products in the pipeline. We have got products in diabetes. Moreover, we have products in oncology and auto immune. Some of these products are in the process of getting approval from regulatory agencies. Eventually, we want to launch those products in India. However, diabetes is the most important area and it probably will remain so in the future as well.

You had said earlier that you would launch an oncology drug by the end of 2016 or in the beginning of 2017. Is the plan on track?

We are on track. We can't give you a specific date because the process takes some time. We are working closely with the regulatory services in India. Globally, we have been launching various products in the past two years and our expectation is that we will continue to launch more as we have many products undergoing phase 3 trials (which is the last stage of research trials). After it is done, we will file for regulatory approval.

How many clinical trial projects are being carried out by your company in India?

We are doing clinical trials in India. However, I can not give you the specific number. As our pipeline of products continues, we will continue to do the trials here.

The government is trying to promote manufacturing through its 'Make in India' programme. Are you planning to establish manufacturing units here?

Today, we actually have a partnership with Gland Pharmaceuticals. Through this, some of the conventional insulins are being manufactured in India. We are very happy with the partnership. As India is a dynamic market, we continue to assess and will take a right decision whenever it happens.

CLARIFICATION
This version corrects the earlier one that misstated Eli Lilly India has a partnership with Glenmark Pharma. It actually has a tie-up with Gland Pharmaceuticals. We stand corrected and error regretted.