Nifty Pharma index rises 2% as Sun Pharma, Lupin receive USFDA approval

Sun Pharma rose over 3 per cent to an intra-day high of Rs 670.90 on the NSE after the drug maker announced USFDA approval of XELPROS to treat open-angle Glaucoma or Ocular Hypertension.

Shares of pharmaceutical companies were in focus with the Nifty Pharma index rising over 2 per cent to 10,623.60 levels in the intra-day deals after Sun Pharmaceutical Industries (Sun Pharma) and Lupin USFDA approval for their respective medicines.

Sun Pharma rose over 3 per cent to an intra-day high of Rs 670.90 on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) after the drug maker announced USFDA approval of XELPROS to treat open-angle Glaucoma or Ocular Hypertension. This approval is from Sun Pharma’s Halol facility.

"XELPROS is the first and only form of latanoprost that is not formulated with benzalkonium chloride (BAK), a preservative commonly used in topical ocular preparations. XELPROSTM is developed using SPARC’s proprietary Swollen Micelle Microemulsion (SMM) technology." it said in a BSE filing earlier today.

On the other hand, Lupin, too,  rose 2 per cent to Rs 978.75 on the NSE after the company on Wednesday said it has received nod from the US health regulator to market its Atovaquone oral suspension used for prevention and treatment of a type of pneumonia.

The company has received approval to market generic Atovaquone oral suspension USP in the strength of 750 mg/5 mL from the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA), Lupin said in a BSE filing.

At 10:05 am, all the stocks in the Nifty Pharma index were trading higher in the range of 1 per cent to 4 per cent.

COMPANY	LATEST	PREV CLOSE	GAIN( )	GAIN(%)	VOLUME
AUROBINDO PHARMA	799.30	773.85	25.45	3.29	1568647
PIRAMAL ENTERP.	3013.00	2926.50	86.50	2.96	173131
BIOCON	656.70	639.85	16.85	2.63	869243
GLENMARK PHARMA.	686.75	673.40	13.35	1.98	228518
CADILA HEALTH.	416.25	408.70	7.55	1.85	715915
SUN PHARMA.INDS.	661.70	649.90	11.80	1.82	2695351
CIPLA	666.75	656.45	10.30	1.57	440936
DR REDDY'S LABS	2565.95	2529.15	36.80	1.46	183259
DIVI'S LAB.	1290.10	1271.55	18.55	1.46	129873
LUPIN	969.45	959.35	10.10	1.05	1121866