Torrent Pharmaceuticals announced on Wednesday, 5 June, that the company has entered into a non-exclusive patent licensing agreement with Takeda for commercialising Vonoprazan in India. 

The company will market Vonoprazan under its own trademark, and it is a novel potassium-competitive acid blocker (P-CAB0, which is used for treating acid-related disorders and gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Aman Mehta, Director of Torrent Pharma, said, “I am confident that the launch of Kabvie will aid in reducing the disease burden of GERD and further strengthen our gastrointestinal offerings, augmenting our position as a leading player within the Indian pharmaceutical market.” 

A 2019 study published in the Indian Journal of Gastroenterology reported that the prevalence of GERD in the Indian population is about 8.2%, with a higher prevalence of approximately 11.1% in urban areas. According to AWACS MAT data from April 2024, the Indian market for GERD treatments is valued at Rs 8,064 crore, with an 8% CAGR over the past four years.

Currently, treatments like Pantoprazole (Proton Pump Inhibitors) are used to treat GERD. Torrent Pharma stated that the availability of P-CABs, such as Kabvie, will provide the Indian population with new and effective treatment options for GERD.