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Mumbai
With two antibiotic products in the last mile ahead of a possible launch in India, Wockhardt Chairman Dr Habil Khorakiwala said, discussions to out-license them for overseas markets will start only after global approvals come in.
Wockhardt has applied to the Drug Controller General of India for Nafithromycin (WCK 4873,to treat pneumonia) and once that comes in, the company would launch in a couple of months, Khorakiwala told businessline, days after they announced developments involving another investigational antibiotic WCK 5222 ( Zaynich-Zidebactam/Cefepime). The product had been used to successfully treat a cancer patient in the United States, who had chronic bilateral thigh infection caused by an extreme-drug resistant pseudomonas, Wockhardt had said.
While the management expects to launch WCK 4873 this financial year, Khorakiwala expected WCK 5222 to follow suit, next year. He was optimistic that both products would be in the local market in the calendar year 2025.
A bit of luck
About six months ago, Khorakiwala had told this correspondent, that “competence, networking and a bit of luck” had contributed to the promising antibiotic pipeline. But with light at the end of the tunnel for two of its six antibiotic products in the pipeline, he said, “I’ll now discount luck”, crediting recent developments to the “dedication and efforts” of the team. Referring to WCK 5222 as a “game-changer” in terms of treating multi-drug resistance, he said, the research work was done at their Aurangabad centre, while clinical trials to evaluate the product was undertaken globally.
When regulatory approvals come in, he said, the company will market the products in India and the emerging markets, to keep prices accessible and affordable. The product would be priced in India, at a discounted 85 per cent of the global price of products in this segment, he said. Discussion with pharma companies to out-licence for overseas distribution would commence only after global clinical trials are completed and approvals received, he said. With about $500 million spent on researching these products, he said, another $25 million would be required to support WCK 5222 trials.
Two engines
Antibiotics and insulins will be the two engines the company will fire on, Khorakiwala said, without giving projections for the year. The existing 15-year, multi-vaccine collaboration with Serum Institute of India for the United Kingdom, would bring in revenues in 25/26, he added, without giving details.
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