Eli Lilly enters branded generics; launches four cancer drugs

Drug firm Eli Lilly and Company India on Tuesday said it has entered into branded generics segment in the country with the launch of four cancer drugs to treat patients with breast and colo-rectal cancer respectively.

The company said it has entered branded generics segment with launch of Lil Therapeutics, an expansion of its oncology division that will help expand delivery of cancer drugs to patients at an affordable cost, Eli Lilly and Company said in a statement.

India is the first country to witness the launch of branded generics from the house of Lilly, it added.

“We understand that cancer medicines of the highest quality continue to be an unmet need in India…we have been working over the years to make cancer drugs affordable to better serve Indian patients,” Eli Lilly Managing Director, Edgard A Olaizola said.

This launch reaffirms the company’s commitment to reach more patients and play a leading role in fighting cancer in this country, he added.

The company has launched four new drugs, Lilbecep (Epirubicin), Lilmantro (Anastrozole) and Lilxapla (Oxaliplatin) and Lilrincan (Irinotecan) for the treatment of patients with breast cancer and colo-rectal cancer respectively.

With launch of Lil Therapeutics, Lilly aims to expand patients’ access to high—quality cancer drugs, the company said.

“Though Lilly is launching branded generics in the oncology segment, we will continue to discover and develop innovative new therapies for patients worldwide,” Mr. Olaizola added.

Headquartered in Indianapolis, Eli Lilly is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world.