India’s Lupin to Power China’s COPD Market—Here’s What’s Brewing

Image Source: Express Pharma

Pharma major Lupin has signed a license and supply agreement with Sino Universal Pharmaceuticals to bring its Tiotropium Dry Powder Inhaler (DPI) to the Chinese market. The move marks a strategic expansion of Lupin’s respiratory portfolio into one of the world’s largest healthcare markets.

Key Highlights:

Tiotropium DPI is a generic version of Spiriva® HandiHaler®, used to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Under the agreement, Lupin will serve as the Marketing Authorization Holder (MAH) in China and will also manufacture the product at its facility in Pithampur, India.
The deal allows Sino Universal to handle distribution and commercialization across China, leveraging its local market expertise.
This partnership builds on Lupin’s recent U.S. FDA approval for Tiotropium DPI, making it the first Indian company to receive such clearance for a DPI product in the U.S.
The Chinese COPD market is projected to grow significantly, driven by an aging population and rising pollution levels—making this launch both timely and highimpact.

Lupin’s CEO, Vinita Gupta, previously emphasized the company’s commitment to expanding its respiratory franchise globally, and this deal aligns with that vision. For Sino Universal, the partnership brings a highquality, globally approved respiratory therapy into its portfolio.

Sources: Lupin.com, Express Pharma, Fierce Pharma.