Hyperkalaemia Treatment
18 November 2025
AstraZeneca Pharma India Limited and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited have announced a strategic partnership to expand the reach of Sodium Zirconium Cyclosilicate (SZC), a novel treatment for Hyperkalaemia, across India. The collaboration marks the companies’ second brand partnership for the therapy, aimed at improving access for patients living with the potentially life-threatening condition.
Under the new agreement, both companies will promote and distribute SZC in India under separate brand names. AstraZeneca will market the therapy as Lokelma®, while Sun Pharma will distribute it as Gimliand®. AstraZeneca will continue to hold the intellectual property rights, marketing authorisation, and import license for SZC.
Speaking on the partnership, Praveen Rao Akkinepally, Country President and Managing Director of AstraZeneca Pharma India Limited, emphasized the company’s commitment to advancing patient care. “At AstraZeneca, we aim to transform care by enhancing early screening, diagnosis, and the use of guideline-directed therapy. Our partnership with Sun Pharma strengthens our mission to bring innovative, life-changing medicines to patients with Hyperkalaemia. This step will significantly extend the reach of this vital therapy and help address the disease burden in India,” he said.
Kirti Ganorkar, Managing Director of Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited, highlighted the significance of the collaboration in addressing unmet patient needs. “We are delighted to collaborate with AstraZeneca in tackling the rising challenge of Hyperkalaemia in India. Adding SZC to our portfolio reinforces our commitment to improving care for patients with chronic kidney disease. As India’s largest pharmaceutical company, we remain focused on expanding access to innovative treatments that empower healthcare providers and improve patients’ quality of life,” he stated.
The partnership is expected to strengthen nationwide availability of SZC and support improved management of Hyperkalaemia, particularly among patients with chronic kidney disease.