Dr Reddy's to market Bayer's second brand of heart failure drug in India

Dr Reddy’s Laboratories and Bayer announced a new partnership to introduce a second brand of Vericiguat, a medication for chronic heart failure, to the Indian market. Vericiguat, already available under the brand name Verquvo by Bayer, is a soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator. It is specifically designed to help patients with chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) who have recently experienced worsening heart failure.

Under the agreement, Dr Reddy’s will market Vericiguat under the brand name Gantra. This will expand access to this treatment for a wider range of patients in India. Vericiguat was initially launched by Bayer in September 2022 under the brand name Verquvo.

Chronic heart failure is a major health concern in India, affecting an estimated 8-10 million people. With a younger average age of onset compared to Western countries, the condition presents a significant challenge for the Indian healthcare system. By leveraging Dr Reddy’s expertise in marketing and distribution, the partnership aims to ensure that this treatment reaches not only major metropolitan areas but also tier-I and tier-II towns across the country.

Speaking on this, M.V. Ramana, Chief Executive Officer, Branded Markets (India and Emerging Markets) at Dr Reddy’s, stated, “Strengthening our chronic therapy portfolio in India continues to be a focus area for us. Vericiguat is a first-in-class sGC stimulator indicated for adults with symptomatic, chronic HF and ejection fraction less than 45 percent following worsening heart failure. The addition of Vericiguat bolsters our heart failure management portfolio that includes Cidmus, Daplo, and beta blockers. The partnership with Bayer is part of Dr Reddy’s continuous efforts to make innovative medicines available to patients in India through strategic collaborations.”

Vericiguat targets a pathway not currently addressed by existing therapies, for patients with CHF who face a heightened risk of cardiovascular death or hospitalisation due to worsening heart failure. It has been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death and heart failure hospitalisation in patients with HFrEF who have recently experienced worsening heart failure. Vericiguat is currently approved for use in 35 countries, including the United States, the European Union, and Japan.