Sun Pharma introduces anti-cancer product in Europe

New Delhi : Sun Pharmaceutical Industries announced rollout of Gemcitabine InfuSMART, used in treatment of cancer, in Europe.

"As part of its business strategy to build a meaningful and differentiating presence in global oncology therapy market, Sun Pharma announced rollout of Gemcitabine InfuSMART in Europe. InfuSMART is a technology in which oncology products are developed in a ready to administer (RTA) bag," the company said in a BSE filing.

"Until now, compounding of oncology products was done at compounding centres or compounded in hospital pharmacies, an extra step before the medicine can be administered to patients.

Over the next few months, Sun Pharma will launch Gemcitabine InfuSMART across the Netherlands, the UK, Spain, Germany, Italy and France.

Sun Pharma Business Head Western Europe & ANZ Hellen de Kloet said: "Sun Pharma's Gemcitabine InfuSMART ready-to-administer infusion products provide the combined advantage of long stable compounded medicine along with safety. Traditionally, such medicines are compounded at hospitals (in-house) or outsourced to compounding pharmacies, making it a time consuming and potentially hazardous process."

Kloet added: "Launch of InfuSMART will help us remain a meaningful player in the global oncology therapy market by offering differentiating cancer treatment solutions. We believe there are opportunities for us to expand our portfolio of ready-to-administer products across multiple therapies where time and safety are an important element of treatment."

Sun Pharma has received regulatory approval to produce Gemcitabine InfuSMART in eight key SKUs (stock keeping units).

"More InfuSMART oncology products are currently in Sun Pharma's pipeline to be rolled out in future," it added.

With the rollout of Gemcitabine InfuSMART, Sun Pharma said it has become "the world's first pharmaceutical company to manufacture and launch a licensed RTA oncology product".