AstraZeneca and Sun Pharma Partner to Expand Access to Hyperkalaemia Therapy in India

18 Nov 2025 , 12:55 PM

AstraZeneca Pharma India and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries have teamed up to make Sodium Zirconium Cyclosilicate (SZC) more widely available in India, the companies announced on Monday, November 17. SZC is used to treat Hyperkalaemia, a condition where potassium levels in the blood rise to dangerous levels, putting patients at serious risk.

Under the new arrangement, AstraZeneca and Sun Pharma will each market and distribute SZC under separate brand names. AstraZeneca will sell the therapy as Lokelma, while Sun Pharma will offer it as Gimliand. AstraZeneca will continue to hold the intellectual property, manage the import licence, and retain the Marketing Authorisation for the drug.

Praveen Rao Akkinepally, Country President and Managing Director at AstraZeneca Pharma India, said the partnership is aimed at improving access to treatment for patients across the country. “Working with Sun Pharma allows us to reach more people who need timely and effective therapy for Hyperkalaemia,” he said.

Kirti Ganorkar, Managing Director of Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, said the collaboration strengthens the company’s ability to support doctors treating patients with elevated potassium levels. “Adding SZC to our portfolio helps us expand care for those living with chronic kidney disease and related conditions,” he noted.

Hyperkalaemia often affects people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and heart failure (HF). This is particularly for those on RAAS inhibitors, which can increase potassium levels. Studies show that as many as half of CKD patients and 42 percent of heart failure patients experience this condition. Doctors sometimes reduce or stop RAAS inhibitors to manage potassium, but this can worsen heart and kidney outcomes and raise the risk of death, making effective therapies like SZC critical.

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