Sun Pharma has entered into a non-exclusive patent licensing agreement with Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd. to commercialise Vonoprazan tablets 10 mg, 20 mg in India under the brand name Voltapraz.

Vonoprazan is a novel, orally active potassium competitive acid blocker (PCAB), used to treat reflux esophagitis and other acid peptic disorders.

Under the terms of this agreement, Takeda has granted Sun Pharma non-exclusive patent licensing rights for the commercialization of Vonoprazan in India.

Commenting on the development, Kirti Ganorkar, CEO - India Business, Sun Pharma said, “Sun Pharma is a leader in Gastroenterology and we are excited to introduce Vonoprazan in India under non-exclusive patent license from Takeda. This partnership demonstrates our commitment to Gastrointestinal health by providing patients and healthcare practitioners with a novel treatment option to manage reflux esophagitis and other acid peptic disorders.”

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is common in India irrespective of geographical or rural/urban location. Prevalence of GERD in Indian population ranges from 5 percent to 28.5 percent. Risk factors for GERD include age, body mass index (BMI), non-vegetarian diet, tea/coffee intake, tobacco, and alcohol consumption.

In November 2023, Vonoprazan was approved by the US FDA for healing and maintenance of healing of all grades of Erosive esophagitis and relief of heartburn associated with Erosive esophagitis and in combination with amoxicillin and clarithromycin or amoxicillin alone for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in adults.

Vonoprazan was discovered and developed by Takeda. With a novel mechanism of action, Vonoprazan inhibits the binding of potassium ions to H+K+ATPase (proton pump) in gastric parietal cells in the stomach thereby suppressing basal and stimulated gastric acid secretion. The drug is approved in India for the treatment of adults with Reflux esophagitis and other acid peptic disorders.