Lupin Pharma developing new products to treat cancer, other diseases

Lupin is in the process of developing a pipeline of products under its new drug discovery program to treat various diseases like cancer and metabolic disorders. The company, which last month inked a partnership with global pharma company AbbVie for the development and commercialization of its novel oncology drug to treat hematological cancers, is focusing on the first-to-market kind of opportunities with its new products. The novel drug discovery and development (NDDD) is focused and committed on developing a pipeline of highly differentiated and innovative new chemical entities in various therapeutic areas like oncology, immunology, and metabolic disorders. Lupin will focus NDDD activities to advance pipeline programs where there are first-to-market and/or best-in-class opportunities. Emphasis will be stressed on designing compounds that are differentiated in their respective class. This, in turn, will create attractive partnering opportunities in the next 2-3 years.

The Mumbai-based company is currently working on developing various products, including two major ones to treat chronic kidney diseases and lung cancer. Lupin currently utilizes its Pune-based research and development center for NDDD program. Last month, AbbVie licensed Lupin’s MALT1 (mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma translocation protein1) inhibitor program. Through this partnership, AbbVie gains exclusive global rights to develop and commercialize MALT1 inhibitors. Under the terms of the agreement with AbbVie, Lupin is entitled to an upfront payment of USD 30 million. Upon successful completion of regulatory, development and commercial milestones, the company is eligible to receive total milestone payments of up to USD 947 million.