Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited announced that it has entered into a non-exclusive patent licensing agreement with Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited to commercialise Vonoprazan tablets 10 mg, 20 mg in India under
the brand name "Voltapraz". Vonoprazan is a novel, orally active potassium competitive acid blocker (PCAB), used to treat reflux esophagitis and other acid peptic disorders. Under the terms of this agreement, Takeda has granted Sun Pharma non-exclusive patent licensing rights for the commercialization of Vonoprazan in India. Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is common in India irrespective of geographical or rural/urban location. Prevalence of GERD in Indian population ranges from 5% to 28.5%. Risk factors for GERD include age, body mass index (BMI), non-vegetarian diet, tea/coffee intake, tobacco, and alcohol consumption. In November 2023, Vonoprazan was approved by the US FDA for healing and maintenance of healing of all grades of Erosive esophagitis and relief of heartburn associated with Erosive esophagitis and in combination with amoxicillin and clarithromycin or amoxicillin alone for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in adults. Vonoprazan was discovered and developed by Takeda. With a novel mechanism of action, Vonoprazan inhibits the binding of potassium ions to H+K+ATPase (proton pump) in gastric parietal cells in the stomach thereby it suppresses basal and stimulated gastric acid secretion.iii The drug is approved in India for treatment of adults with Reflux esophagitis and other acid peptic disorders.