Sun Pharma to launch first-in-class oral lipid-lowering drug in India

New Delhi: Sun Pharma on Wednesday said it is planning to launch a medication to reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.

The Mumbai-based drug major said one of its wholly-owned subsidiaries plans to launch a first-in-class oral drug, Bempedoic Acid, in India for reducing LDL cholesterol.

The company will launch the drug under the brand name Brillo.

The drug is a first-in-class drug which has a new mechanism of action compared to the currently available lipid-lowering agents.

It is indicated for people who have an inherited genetic disorder that causes high cholesterol levels or established heart disease where cholesterol levels remain high, despite lifestyle changes and the use of maximum tolerated dose of statins.

"Sun Pharma is the leader in the cardiovascular segment and a pioneer in lipid-lowering therapy in India. In line with our commitment to introducing novel products, we are launching this first-in-class oral drug Brillo," Sun Pharma CEO  India Business Kirti Ganorkar said in a statement.

The product is a novel treatment option that will help manage high LDL cholesterol in patients with heart diseases, a condition which is growing at an alarming rate, he added.

The burden of heart disease at 272 per 1,00,000 population in India is higher than the global average of 235 per 1,00,000 population.

Some patients with elevated cholesterol levels may respond inadequately to statins. There is also a set of patients who are intolerant to statins. Bempedoic acid can be a useful treatment option for such patients.

The launch of Brillo will address this significant unmet need in India, the company stated.

As per IMS MAT Jan 2022 data, the size of the statin market in India is pegged around Rs 4,300 crore.

Image: PTI