China-based Luye Pharma Group has reportedly handed over the distribution and marketing rights for its schizophrenia drug Seroquel (quetiapine fumarate immediate-release tablets) in Pakistan to ICI Pakistan. Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.
Exclusive Rights and Market Context
ICI Pakistan has been awarded exclusive distribution and marketing rights to Luye’s Seroquel tablets, a drug used to treat both bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. According to available data, approximately 0.6% of the population in South Asia, including Pakistan, suffers from bipolar disorder, while the prevalence of schizophrenia in Pakistan is around 1.5%.
Licensing History and Global Reach
Luye acquired exclusive rights to Seroquel from AstraZeneca through a $546 million licensing deal signed in July 2018. Since then, the company has executed multiple licensing deals for the drug, granting distribution and promotional rights to various partners. These include India-based Cipla Ltd, Moksha8 Pharmaceuticals, Alvogen Korea Co., Ltd, Zuellig Pharma, DKSH, Alter Pharma, and Laboratorios Bago, covering markets across Africa, Latin America, and the Asia-Pacific region.
Future Outlook
The latest agreement with ICI Pakistan further expands Luye Pharma’s global footprint for Seroquel, positioning the company to address significant unmet needs in mental health treatment in Pakistan and the broader South Asian region.-Fineline Info & Tech
