Mumbai: Glenmark Pharmaceuticals has announced the upcoming launch of the oral blood cancer treatment Zanubrutinib in India, following approval by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI).
Zanubrutinib will be marketed in India under the brand name Brukinsa, an innovative therapy developed by Switzerland-based global oncology company BeiGene (now BeOne Medicines), which focuses on advanced treatments for cancer patients worldwide.
“The introduction of Brukinsa brings an innovative treatment option at a time when India continues to face a significant burden from serious and difficult-to-treat haematological malignancies. According to various sources, someone in India is diagnosed with blood cancer every five minutes, and an estimated 70,000 people die from the disease each year,” Glenmark Pharmaceuticals said in a communication to the stock exchanges.
Haematological malignancies, also known as blood cancers, are cancers that arise from the blood, bone marrow, or lymphatic system.
“We look forward to bringing Brukinsa to India in the coming months as part of our ongoing partnership with BeiGene (now BeOne Medicines),” said Alok Malik, President and Business Head – India Formulations, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals. “This launch marks a significant milestone in our innovative oncology portfolio, offering patients in India access to a globally trusted therapy with proven efficacy and safety. It reinforces our ongoing commitment to providing effective and advanced treatments for patients with haematological malignancies,” Malik added.
Brukinsa addresses a critical unmet need with its differentiated pharmacological profile, demonstrating high response rates and durable disease control across multiple B-cell malignancies, as shown in pivotal clinical trials. Brukinsa’s flexible dosing regimen (once or twice daily) supports personalized care, the company noted.
Brukinsa is the first and only Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor approved in India for the treatment of five distinct B-cell malignancies: chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL), Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM), mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), marginal zone lymphoma (MZL), and follicular lymphoma (FL), the company added.
