BeiGene (NASDAQ: BGNE; HKEX: 06160; SSE: 688235), a global oncology company, today announced a new partnership with Glenmark Specialty S.A. (Glenmark), a subsidiary of Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd, a research‐led, global pharmaceutical company, to distribute its innovative anti-cancer medicines in India. The agreement marks BeiGene’s first entry into India and marks a significant expansion of its footprint in Asia.

Adam Roach, Vice President, and Head of Asia-Pacific at BeiGene, along with Alok Malik, President and Business Head - India Formulations, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd, recently formalised this important partnership. “This collaboration is a testament to our shared vision of enhancing healthcare access across Asia," said Mr. Roach. “We take great pride in advancing mission-driven access, especially given the significant disease burden in India, where rising cancer rates require comprehensive healthcare solutions - a commitment we share with our partners at Glenmark.”

With a population exceeding 1.43 billion, India is the most populous country globally and the largest lower-middle-income nation.^1,2 This partnership is timely, as many low-and middle-income countries, including India, are experiencing an increasing cancer burden. Recent statistics indicate that India has the third highest number of cancer cases worldwide, with predictions suggesting this could reach 2.08 million cases by 2040 – a 57.5 per cent increase from 2020.^3,4 Currently, cancer causes approximately 900,000 deaths per year in India.

Blood cancer is a growing problem in India, ranking third highest in the world in terms of reported cases after the US and China.⁵ In India, someone is diagnosed with blood cancer every five minutes, and an estimated 70,000 people die from the disease annually.⁵

“Through our collaboration with Glenmark in India, we are taking significant steps forward in our mission towards global health equity, and to expand access to high-quality cancer treatments,” said Dr Senthil Sockalingam, BeiGene Head of Asia-Pacific Medical Affairs. “We have developed leading therapies across a broad range of cancers, and we are pleased to be able to support patients in India facing challenging diagnoses.”

The partnership underscores recent growth for BeiGene across the Asia Pacific including in Japan, Korea, and Indonesia, reflecting the company's commitment to making its medicines as widely available as possible to patients.

For over four and a half decades, Glenmark has been dedicated to enhancing patients’ lives worldwide, earning a reputation for producing high-quality, affordable, and innovative biopharmaceuticals.  Since 2016 they have been advancing their oncology portfolio.

Speaking on this partnership, Alok Malik of Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd. said, “We are excited about our partnership with BeiGene, signifying our commitment to advancing healthcare in India. The addition of tislelizumab and zanubrutinib to our oncology portfolio underscores our dedication to the cancer patients’ community and our commitment to provide access to novel therapies across India.”

References:

1. Statista. Twenty countries with the largest population in 2024, https://www.statista.com/statistics/262879/countries-with-the-largest-population/ accessed April 2024.
2. Sharma G, Harvinder P, Challenges for Lower-Middle-Income Countries in Achieving Universal Healthcare: An Indian Perspective; 2023. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36655151/#:~:text=India%20is%20the%20largest%20lower,18%25%20of%20the%20world's%20population accessed April 2024. 
3. Ferlay J, Ervik M, Lam F, et al. Global Cancer Observatory: Cancer Today. Lyon, France: International Agency for Research on Cancer; 2020. Available from https://gco.iarc.fr/today/ accessed April,2024.
4. Ferlay J, Ervik M, Lam F, Colombet M, Mery L, Piñeros M, et al. Global cancer observatory: Cancer today. India Fact Sheet. Lyon, France: International Agency for Research on Cancer; 2022. Available from https://gco.iarc.who.int/media/globocan/factsheets/populations/356-india-fact-sheet.pdf accessed April 2024. 
5. Shalby Multi-Specialty Hospitals. Blood Cancer – A growing burden to Indian Society, https://www.shalby.org/blood-cancer-a-growing-burden-to-indian-society/#:~:text=According%20to%20various%20sources%2C%20India,year%20because%20of%20blood%20cancer accessed April 2024.