Wockhardt shares at 52-week high after Zaynich helps US cancer patient undergo liver transplant

Wockhardt's shares jumped 10% on the stock exchanges after the company announced that its proprietary antibiotic Zaynich successfully treated a 73-year-old patient, who was battling a chronic bile duct infection.

The patient, diagnosed with bile duct cancer in January 2024, had reportedly been undergoing chemotherapy and biliary stent placement when she developed severe complications, including sepsis, liver abscess, and cholangitis. Despite over six weeks of treatment with high-end antibiotics such as cefiderocol and eravacycline, the infection persisted, precluding a critical liver transplant.

The medical team turned to Zaynich under the US FDA's compassionate-use program.

The patient was subsequently able to undergo a liver transplant and was discharged from the hospital, the Indian Indian pharmaceutical and biotechnology company said in a statement on Monday.

According to the treating doctor, the patient suffered from sepsis, liver abscess, and cholangitis caused by extensively drug-resistant pathogens, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae. These pathogens displayed resistance mechanisms such as IMP, NDM, and OXA-48, making them exceptionally challenging to treat.

Zaynich, a combination of Zidebactam and Cefepime, is a novel antibiotic developed by Wockhardt to combat multi-drug-resistant Gram-negative infections. The drug employs a β-lactam enhancer mechanism to neutralise challenging resistance traits. It is currently in Phase III trials, with plans for global marketing authorisation.

To date, 45 patients suffering from life-threatening Gram-negative infections have benefitted from Zaynich under compassionate use, which is approved by the Food and Drug Administration in the form of “individual patient-specific expanded-access IND”, according to the company.

Zaynich is also undergoing a clinical study in India for the treatment of carbapenem-resistant infections.

Following the announcement, Wockhardt shares surged by 10% to hit the upper circuit at ₹1,536.60 on Monday. The stock has skyrocketed by 227% so far in 2024, marking its best calendar year since 2012, when it had gained 469%.

In September, Wockhardt’s Chairman Habil Khorakiwala told CNBC-TV18 that WCK 5222 (Zaynich) is expected to enter global markets by 2026, with a potential patient base of 7 lakh in the US.