gsk: GSK sends notices to Akums, Associate over ‘Zinetac’ brand

has issued stop and desist notices to Akums Medication and Prescribed drugs (ADPL) and
its affiliate Nicholas Healthcare, demanding to cease promoting ranitidine underneath model identify ‘Zintac’, alleging that it’s an infringement of its trademark ‘Zinetac’.

The Indian unit of British drugmaker GSK additional alleged that Nicholas Healthcare and Akums are additionally utilizing equivalent packaging to benefit from the recognition of its model, individuals conscious of the event mentioned.

GSK confirmed to ET that it has issued stop and desist discover
to the 2 corporations however declined to remark additional.

“It could be inappropriate for GSK to touch upon pending or ongoing litigation, save to say that GSK disagrees with ADPL’s incomplete abstract of the state of affairs. GSK is dedicated to upholding and defending its respectable trademark rights,” a GSK spokesperson mentioned.

Akums advised ET in a press release that it has not violated any emblems of GSK and has independently coined the model identify Zintac.

“To the perfect of our data, GSK has given an enterprise earlier than the NPPA (Nationwide Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority) authorities that it shall not market ranitidine merchandise underneath the model identify of Zinetac,” it mentioned. “The model registration in favour of GSK has already expired as GSK didn’t renew the model and the model stands deserted. We’ve got independently coined and adopted the model Title Zintac.”

Akums additional mentioned, “We already have the model registered in school 5 underneath the Authorities of India as Zintac Penta SR (a mixture of pantoprazole and domperidone) and lots of different comparable (merchandise) are underneath course of.”

GSK owns emblems Zinetac and Zantac. It makes use of Zantac trademark for its ranitidine medicines outdoors India.

GSK discontinued Zinetac/Zantac 150 mg and 300 mg tablets globally in Might 2020, following regulatory considerations over the presence of N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) — a possible human carcinogen within the ranitidine lively pharmaceutical substances.

GSK bought its newly constructed manufacturing plant in Vemgal, Karnataka established for the aim of creating ranitidine merchandise, taking an impairment cost of round Rs 640 crore.

Zinetac for years was the highest promoting model of GSK, with gross sales of over Rs 200 crore yearly. At the same time as GSK exited, different ranitidine manufacturers proceed to be accessible within the Indian market.

The corporate is but to resolve whether or not to relaunch the Zinetac model with non-ranitidine formulation or to promote it altogether, individuals conscious of the matter advised ET.