Zydus launches Bemdac drug to treat uncontrolled LDL-Cholesterol

13 May 2022 , 09:17 AM

Zydus Lifesciences Ltd. (formerly known as Cadila Healthcare Ltd.), a discovery-driven global lifesciences company announced the launch of Bemdac (Bempedoic acid), a new class of drug for the first time in India.

The oral drug ushers in a new line of treatment for patients suffering from uncontrolled levels of LDL-Cholesterol (LDL-c) despite life-style modifications and the use of maximum tolerated dose of statins, which form the cornerstone of dyslipidemia management.

LDL-c is often referred to as bad cholesterol since it gets deposited in the walls of the blood vessels, increasing the chances of health problems like heart attack or stroke. Uncontrolled LDL-c is a major risk factor for developing cardiovascular diseases. According to studies, 8 out of 10 Indians are dyslipidemic and 112 million adults suffer from high levels of LDL-c.

7 out of 10 dyslipidemia patients who are on statin treatment continue to suffer from uncontrolled LDL-c. Besides this, 5.4 million Indians are found to be intolerant to statin therapy. Bempedoic acid has also shown to have good results in patients not able to tolerate statins and those who do not respond to statins. This is a huge unmet healthcare need which Bemdac addresses.

Speaking on the development, Dr. Sharvil Patel, Managing Director, Zydus Lifesciences said “With Bemdac we are happy to introduce a first-in-India therapy to address the unmet medical need of people suffering from uncontrolled LDL-c. Bemdac is an important addition to Zydus’ portfolio of medicines for managing dyslipidemia and cholesterol. Our mission is to empower patients with a better quality of life through effective disease management and with Bemdac we have taken a great leap ahead in this endeavour.”

Zydus has several leading brands to address cardiac care and dyslipidemia. This includes Atorva, Clopitorva, Zyrova and Pivasta. The company’s brand Atorva is a leader in the Atorvastatin market with a market share of 18.4%. The brand is also ranked second in terms of market share in the Rs2162 crore statin segment (AWACS Report Feb’22).

At around 9:17 AM, Zydus Lifesciences was trading at Rs338.85 apiece higher by 1.62% on the BSE.