Abeer Athar
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Written By: Abeer Athar | Published : June 10, 2025 5:02 PM IST
A recent advancement in drug innovation has proven to be a game-changer in cancer treatment. Glenmark Pharmaceuticals on Monday revealed its plans to launch cancer treatment drug zanubrutinib in India following approval by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI). The drug will be circulated by the name 'Zanubrutinib' and will also be known as Brukinsa.
What makes it significant is that it is the first and only Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor that has been legitimised in India for the treatment of five special B-cell malignancies: chronic lymphocytic leukaemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma, Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia, mantle cell lymphoma, marginal zone lymphoma, and follicular lymphoma.
"We look forward to bringing Brukinsa to India in the coming months as part of our ongoing partnership with BeiGene (now BeOne Medicines)," Said Alok Malik, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals President and Business Head - India Formulations.
"The launch marks a significant milestone in our innovative oncology portfolio, offering patients in India access to a globally trusted therapy with proven efficacy and safety," he added to the significance of the innovation.
The cancer drug, Zanubrutinib, which is also known as BRUKINSA, has already been approved for use in over 60 countries and regions all around the world. These countries include major markets like the United States, China, the European Union, Great Britain and Canada. Besides this, it's also available in various other regions like Russia, Singapore, Brazil, Chile, Israel, and the UAE.
Zanubrutinib falls under the class of medications called kinase inhibitors. This drug aids the healing process by working to block the action of the unhealthy protein that signals cancer cells to multiply. This helps stop the spread of cancer cells
Pronounced as 'zan-yoo-broo-tih-nib,' the cancer drug helps in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and some other variations of lymphoma. Doctors include zanubrutinib with other cancer drugs.
This type of cancer cell growth blocker is called a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). Tyrosine kinases are the unhealthy proteins that are used by the cells to signal to each other to grow. They act as chemical messengers. There are several types of tyrosine kinases, and blocking their activity inhibits the cancer cells from growing. Zanubrutinib ends up preventing the growth of a protein called Bruton's tyrosine kinase. Hence, it's called a Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor (BTKi).
Previously, this year, in the month of March, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals released a medication for glycemic control and weight loss for diabetes patients.
The Mumbai-based drug firm has also launched another drug called Empagliflozin, which is widely known and recognised as an SGLT2 inhibitor, covered by the brand name Glempa (Empagliflozin 10/25 mg), along with its fixed-dose combinations (FDCs)'" Glempa-L (Empagliflozin 10/25 mg Linagliptin 5 mg) and Glempa-M (Empagliflozin 12.5 mg Metformin 500/1000 mg).
These particular medications are formulated to make glycemic control more efficient in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus; at the same time, they are also known to reduce cardiovascular outcomes in patients at risk of heart or cardiovascular diseases.
Several researchers have claimed that the results of the experiment have reflected umpteen number of benefits of Empagliflozin, including improving the efficiency of glycemic control, aiding the weight-loss mechanism, and eliminating cardiovascular condition risks in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Empagliflozin has also shown proven benefits in lowering cardiovascular death or hospitalisation in patients with heart failure.
The launch of the drug comes with new hope and possibility, while it underlines the evolution in the health and innovation industry. The face of cancer treatment in India can change with the recent advancements.
