Cipla will distribute Lilly’s Trulicity and Humalog diabetes treatments in India

Cipla, an Indian pharmaceutical company, has agreed to sell and distribute two of Eli Lilly’s best-selling diabetes treatments in India, the companies announced in a joint statement on Monday.

According to the companies, Lilly will transfer its rights in India to sell, promote, and distribute its Trulicity and Humalog products while maintaining its current operating model for the remainder of its product portfolio.

The deal will allow Cipla to expand access to the drugs in the country with the second-highest number of diabetic people in the world. India has more than 70 million adults with diabetes, according to government estimates.

Trulicity, a once-weekly shot to control blood sugar through the week, is Lilly’s best-selling drug that raked in sales of $1.54 billion in the second quarter. Its Humalog, a fast-acting insulin injection, is also a key part of its diabetes portfolio.

“Developing strategic partnerships to adopt different operating models is the key to… make innovative medicines available to more people in India,” said Luca Visini, Lilly’s managing director for the Indian subcontinent.

“Cipla has a strong local footprint and is well established to expand access to (Trulicity and Humalog) around India.”