'USFDA nod for Zaynich a major boost'

NEW DELIH: The US Food and Drug Administration's approval of Wockhardt's Zaynich, a first-in-class 'breakthrough antibiotic' for severe drug-resistant infections, opens up a significant global market opportunity, the company's founder chairman Habil Khorakiwala told TOI.Zaynich, a combination of cefepime and zidebactam, is the first novel drug discovered and developed in India to secure this milestone, with annual peak sales estimated at over $1.5 billion, he said. With patent protection through 2038, Khorakiwala is betting on Zaynich, which targets multidrug-resistant superbugs and complicated urinary tract infections. Wockhardt plans to price Zaynich in line with prevailing US treatment costs of $10,000-12,000 for such infections, while pricing in India is likely to be significantly lower."The global antibiotics market is estimated at roughly $9 billion, while for such life-saving treatments we expect the global opportunity to be around $1.5 bn. The upside will depend on how quickly the company ramps up its commercial presence", said Vishal Manchanda, analyst at Systematix.Wockhardt scrip surged to a record high of Rs 2,420 during the day, but closed around Rs 2152, nearly 6% up.