Global pharmaceutical company Lupin Limited has entered into an exclusive License, Supply and Distribution agreement with China-based Gan & Lee Pharmaceuticals for Bofanglutide, a novel fortnightly GLP-1 receptor agonist, strengthening Lupin’s diabetes portfolio and accelerating its expansion into the obesity segment.
Under the agreement, Lupin will hold exclusive rights to commercialize and distribute Bofanglutide in India. The injectable therapy, developed by Gan & Lee, is designed for adults with type 2 diabetes and for weight management in overweight or obese individuals. Administered once every two weeks, Bofanglutide is positioned as a potential first-in-class global fortnightly GLP-1 receptor agonist.
Clinical data indicate that Bofanglutide delivers weight-loss outcomes comparable to or better than existing GLP-1 therapies while offering the convenience of fortnightly dosing instead of the weekly injections required for most current alternatives. The therapy has demonstrated effective reduction in blood glucose levels and body weight, with safety and tolerability consistent with the established GLP-1 drug class.
The agreement comes amid growing public health challenges in India, where obesity is projected to emerge as a major crisis, with an estimated 174 million adults classified as overweight and nearly 50 million as obese. Diabetes is already considered epidemic, affecting approximately 90 million adults across the country.
Lupin Limited, headquartered in Mumbai, operates as a global pharmaceutical leader with products distributed in more than 100 markets. The company has a strong presence in India and the United States across multiple therapy areas including respiratory, cardiovascular, anti-diabetic, anti-infective, gastrointestinal, central nervous system, and women’s health. Lupin’s operations span 15 manufacturing facilities and seven research centers worldwide, supported by a workforce of over 24,000 professionals. The company also operates through subsidiaries including Lupin Diagnostics, Lupin Digital Health, and Lupin Manufacturing Solutions.
Gan & Lee Pharmaceuticals is recognized for developing China’s first domestic insulin analog and currently markets six core insulin products, including five insulin analogs and one human insulin formulation. Its portfolio includes long-acting, fast-acting, and mixed insulin injections, along with approved medical devices such as reusable insulin pens and disposable pen needles. In China’s 2024 National Insulin-Specific Centralized Procurement, Gan & Lee ranked first among selected companies in terms of procurement demand for insulin analogs.
The company has also expanded its international footprint, securing Good Manufacturing Practice inspection approval from the European Medicines Agency in 2024, strengthening its competitiveness in global markets. Gan & Lee continues to advance toward comprehensive diabetes treatment coverage while expanding research and development into new chemical entities and biological drugs, with a focus on metabolic and cardiovascular diseases and other therapeutic areas.
