The Indian drug and API firm announced its partnership with Celon Pharma yesterday, explaining that the focus will be development of a combined fluticasone salmeterol inhaler for the US, Canada, Mexico and other undisclosed markets.
Lupin’s target is GSK’s Advair , known as Seretide elsewhere, which saw revenue fall 15% to £4.2bn ($6.4bn) globally and 25% in the US to $1.9bn as a result of competition and a punishing contract negotiation with Express Scripts forced the UK firm to discount the drug.
Advair’s faltering performance prompted GSK to make cuts at its US manufacturing operation in December. It was also linked to the retirement of the firm’s US president Deidre Connolly this week.
Lupin spokesman Shamsher Gorawara told in-Pharmatechnologist.com that, combined with the US launch of a delivery technology it licensed from InspiRx this week, GSK’s Advair woes are an opportunity.
“This launch coupled with the agreement with Celon Pharma yesterday to jointly develop dry powder inhaler product which is a generic version of GlaxoSmithKline’s Advair is an indicator of Lupin’s global ambitions for the Inhalation therapy segment.
He added that: “Lupin has been ramping up investments in niche and specialty therapies like inhalation and complex Injectables as it gears up to grow as a specialty pharmaceutical player in the US and other key markets.
Gorawara cited the respiratory drug development centre Lupin set up in Coral Springs, Florida last year as an example of the Indian firm’s efforts.
InspiRx deal
Lupin’s deal with New Jersey-based InspiRx covers the latter’s InspiraChamber, which is a volumizing chamber technology that improves the delivery of respiratory drugs.
The delivery technology will see Lupin compete with Forest Labs, whose AeroChamber product the Indian firm sold under a marketing agreement until two years ago according to Gorawara.