Cipla partners with Roche India to sell key drugs

MUMBAI: Cipla and Roche India jointly announced that they have entered into an agreement under which Cipla will promote and distribute key medicines - tocilizumab (Actemra) and Syndyma, the second brand of Roche's cancer therapy, bevacizumab (Avastin) in India. This partnership is in line with Cipla and Roche's efforts to improve healthcare and increase access to innovative medicines in India, particularly to patients who currently do not have access to them, says a company statement. Umang Vohra, MD & Global CEO Cipla said: "The prevalence of cancer and rheumatoid arthritis is widely spread across India, and Cipla can contribute to provide broader access to innovative medicines like tocilizumab and bevacizumab."Lara Bezerra, MD Roche Pharma India said: "This partnership will significantly advance our efforts to expand the reach of, and improve access to, our innovative medicines. This will also enable us at Roche to focus on bringing new, transformative medicines to patients in India".