Dr Reddy's, AstraZeneca ink agreement for diabetic dosages

Dr Reddy's will be distributing Riax and Riax-M in India and the partnership is likely to strengthen Dr Reddy's diabetes franchise in India

Drug makers Dr Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd and AstraZeneca Pharma India Ltd (AZPIL) today entered into a distribution agreement for marketing diabetic dosages Riax and Riax-M in the Indian market.

Riax and Riax M are a fixed dose combination of saxagliptin with metformin for use by diabetics patients.

Both products are trademarks of the AstraZeneca group.

As per the agreement, Dr Reddy’s will be distributing them in India and the partnership is likely to strengthen Dr Reddy’s diabetes franchise in India.     

It also enables AstraZeneca to expand usage of this molecule through wider reach to physicians in treating diabetic patinets.

AZPIL already has two brands under the trademark Onglyza and Kombiglyze for saxagliptin and in a fixed dose combination with metformin respectively, promoted and distributed in the Indian market.

Onglyza (saxagliptin), AstraZeneca’s patented therapy, is an oral hypoglycemic (anti-diabetic therapy) in the dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor class of drugs indicated as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with Type-2 diabetes mellitus in multiple clinical settings.

Alok Sonig, senior vice president and head of India business, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, said: “We are committed to addressing unmet needs of diabetes patients in India and are pleased to partner with AstraZeneca in launching saxagliptin and its combination with metformin, an important addition to our diabetes franchise. This would expand access to innovative medicines to vast number of diabetes patients in India.”

“Diabetes is a disease of epidemic scale in India with over 65 million affected people. This partnership reflects our constant endeavor to enhance patient’s access to novel treatment solutions like saxagliptin," managing director of AZPIL said.