Zydus Lifesciences shares jump 7% on drug launch and US FDA approval for leukaemia tablets; check full details

At 11:10 AM, shares of Zydus were trading at ₹909.9 apiece, rising 2.53% on the National Stock Exchange.

On March 5, Zydus launched ANVIMO (Letermovir), a breakthrough drug that will be used in the prevention of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection for haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) and kidney transplant patients.

ANVIMO will be available in 240 and 480 mg dosages, the company disclosed in a stock exchange filing.

Until now, Letemovir 240 mg used to be imported for more than ₹5 lakh per month, which severely limited access, but with the launch of SNVIMO, the cost for the same will be reduced by 91%.

This makes the CMV treatment more affordable for Indian patients, Zydus said.

CMV infection is a serious and frequent complication that occurs after a transplant, often leading to graft failures, decreased survival and prolonged hospital stays.

Traditional CMV treatments have notable limitations, including toxicity and bone marrow suppression. However, Letermovir (or SNVIMO) “provides a safer, well-tolerated, and effective alternative, offering superior safety and reduced side effects while improving transplant outcomes,” the release said.

On March 5, the pharmaceutical company was given the final approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) for manufacturing Dasatinib tablets: 20 mg, 50 mg, 70 mg, 80 mg, 100 mg and 140 mg.

Dasatinib is used in treating newly diagnosed adults with Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) in the chronic phase.

It is also used to treat adults with chronic, accelerated or myeloid or lymphoid blast phase Ph+ CML with resistance or intolerance to prior therapy, including imatinib, and adults with Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (Ph+ ALL) to prior therapy, the regulatory filing said.

Zydus Lifescience has 415 approvals, including this one, as of December 31, 2024, had 483 Abbreviated New Drug Applications (ANDA) since the beginning of the filing process in FY24.