Glenmark achieves positive results for anti-diarrhoea molecule

Drug firm Glenmark Pharmaceuticals today said it has achieved positive results in human trials for its new drug molecule Crofelemer, which is aimed at treating diarrhoea in adults.

In a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), the firm said resolution of diarrhoea was significantly higher in human subjects, who were given Crofelemer compared to those who were not in a multi-centre trial.

"Crofelemer will potentially be the first new chemical entity (NCE) to be launched by the organisation," Glenmark Pharmaceuticals CEO and MD Glenn Saldanha said.

He further added: "Glenmark will accelerate the development of Crofelemer in the acute indications, including pediatric diarrhoea where several million individuals are affected in the geographies that we operate in."

Glenmark claimed that Crofelemer is a novel, first in class anti-diarrhoeal agent, whose physiological mechanism of action is different from traditional anti-diarrhoeal agents.

Crofelemer is licenced to the company from US-based Napo Pharmaceuticals. In November 2010, Glenmark along with Napo and Salix Pharmaceuticals, had announced the successful completion of phase III trials with Crofelemer for the treatment of diarrhoea inpatients with HIV in the US.

Glenmark has the exclusive licence to develop, commercialise and distribute Crofelemer in 140 emerging countries for indications related to HIV, use in acute diarrhoea, including supply to NGOs for delivery with in these countries.

Glenmark and Salix have also entered into a commercial supply agreement for Crofelemer active pharmaceutical ingredient, it said.

Shares of Glenmark today closed at Rs 296.50 on BSE, up 1.04 per cent from its previous close.