Indian Healthcare in Focus: While speaking exclusively to ET Now, Habil Khorakiwala, founder and chairman of Wockhardt Group, shared its insights on the Zaynich launch plan, revenue potential, and market opportunity.
Wockhardt has achieved a historic milestone after receiving US FDA approval for its breakthrough antibiotic Zaynich, marking a major moment for India’s pharmaceutical industry. In this exclusive conversation, founder chairman Habil Khorakiwala reveals the company’s global launch plans, revenue expectations, US strategy and the massive market opportunity ahead.
Created with AI. Errors are possibleIndian company received US FDA approval
For the first time, a research-driven product developed by an Indian company has received US FDA approval. This antibiotic targets multidrug-resistant infections, which cause nearly one million deaths annually. Zaynich (Zenic) is highly effective against gram-negative organisms. In compassionate-use cases involving more than 80 patients across India, the US, and France, it delivered exceptional results where existing antibiotics had failed.
Zaynich to launch in both India and US
We are now preparing to launch the product. Over the next six months, we plan to launch it in both India and the US, said founder chairman Habil Khorakiwala. The chairman further added that the launch of the product in Europe will follow later, as approval is still pending. Even after regulatory approval, pricing approvals must be obtained country by country, which takes additional time. Therefore, Europe will likely come about a year after the US launch.
Target to enter four or five additional key international markets
We estimate peak global demand for Zenic at approximately USD 1.5-2 billion. The total addressable market is around USD 9 billion, and we expect to capture 15-20 per cent market share over time. Around 40-45 per cent of this market is in the United States, said the chairman.
Regarding pricing, a final decision has not yet been made. However, it will likely be in line with other newly introduced molecules in both the US and India.
We have received FDA Qualified Infectious Disease Product (QIDP) designation for six products, and Zenic is one of them. We expect to launch another two or three products in the US over the next three to five years, said the chairman.
What business model will you use to commercialise the drug? Will you build your own sales force in the US or partner with another company?
In India, we will market the product ourselves. In the US, we also plan to commercialise it independently. We have already selected the top management team for the US operation.
At the same time, we will collaborate with specialised partner organisations for sales personnel and certain support functions where costs can be structured on a pass-through basis. This model is one we already use in several countries.
What kind of margin contribution do you expect from Zenic, and how quickly can it become meaningful?
FY27 will not see a significant contribution because the launch period will cover only a few months, and there will be substantial upfront investments. However, like most innovative molecules, Zenic offers attractive gross margins. As sales gain momentum year after year, the contribution from the new molecule will increase significantly and improve overall company margins.
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