Lupin was founded in 1968 by Desh Bandhu Gupta,[11] who was a professor of chemistry at BITS-Pilani, Rajasthan. Gupta initially borrowed Rs. 5000 from his wife to fund the venture. Due to subsequent funding from the Central Bank of India, the company able to start their manufacturing facility for producing folic acid and iron tablets for the Indian government's mother and child health program. Later Lupin started manufacturing anti-tuberculosis (TB) drugs which at one point formed 36% of the company sales and was considered as the largest TB drugs manufacturer in the world.[12]
In 1988 Gupta founded the group's CSR arm, the Lupin Human Welfare & Research Foundation (LHWRF). This initiative was dedicated to sustainable rural development with the aim to uplift families living below the poverty line.[13] In 1999, Lupin joined the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance as a founding member.[14][15]
In July 2015 the company announced its intention to acquire Gavis Pharmaceuticals and Novel Laboratories for $880 million.[16][17]
The founder, Desh Bandhu Gupta died in June 2017 and was subsequently replaced as chairman by his wife, Manju Deshbandhu Gupta.[18]
In October 2019, Lupin announced the Appointment of Sreeji Gopinatham as Chief Information Officer (CIO).[19]
In March 2019, the US FDA put several Lupin drug plants on notice for quality problems, and indicated it might not approve future Lupin drug applications.
In May 2023, Lupin entered into an agreement to buy the French pharmaceutical company Medisol.[20]
The Forbes list of India’s 100 richest tycoons, published in October 2024, ranks the Gupta family 52nd with a net worth of $5.75 Billion.[21]
Research and development
Lupin's research program covers the entire pharma product chain. The company's R&D program is headquartered in the Lupin Research Park located near Pune and Aurangabad that houses over 1,400 scientists. Lupin's R&D covers:
Generics Research
Process Research
Pharmaceutical Research
Advanced Drug Delivery Systems (ADDS) Research
Intellectual Property Management
Novel Drug Discovery and Development (NDDD)
Biotechnology Research
Businesses
Lupin's businesses encompass the entire pharmaceutical value chain, ranging from branded and generic formulations, APIs, advanced drug delivery systems to biotechnology. The company's drugs reach 70 countries[22] with a footprint that covers advanced markets such as USA, Europe, Japan,[23] Australia as well as emerging markets including India, the Philippines and South Africa to name a few.[24]
Key markets
United States
Headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, Lupin Pharmaceuticals Inc. (LPI), the company's US subsidiary is a $891 million enterprise.[25] It has a presence in the branded and generics markets of the US. In the branded business, Lupin operates in the CVS and Pediatric segments. The company is the market leader in 28 products out of the 77 products marketed in the US generics market, of which it is amongst the Top 3 by market share in 57 of these products (IMS Health, December 2014): Suprax (Cefixime), a paediatric antibiotic, is Lupin's top-selling product here. Other products in Lupin's branded portfolio include Antara< (Fenofibrate), Locoid lotion, Alinia (Nitazoxanide) and InspiraChambers (Anti-static valved holding chamber). The company is also the 5th largest and fastest growing generics player in the US (5.3% market share by prescriptions, IMS Health). Lupin's US brands business contributed 9% of total US sales whereas the generics business contributed 91% during FY 2014–15.[26]
India Region Formulations (IRF)
Lupin's IRF business focuses on Lifestyle diseases and Chronic disease therapy segments, particularly in Cardiology, Central Nervous System (CNS), Diabetology, Anti-Asthma, Anti-Infective, Gastro Intestinal and Oncology. The IRF business contributed 24% of the company's overall revenues for FY 2014–15, growing by 20% and recording revenues of ₹29,676 million (US$360 million) for FY 2014-15 as compared to ₹24,794 million (US$300 million) for FY 2013–14.
It has 12 manufacturing plants and 2 Research plants in India, as Jammu(J&K), Mandideep & Indore (Madhya pradesh), Ankaleswar & Dabasa (Gujarat), Tarapur, Aurangabad and Nagpur (Maharashtra), Goa, Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) and Sikkim; where research centre at Pune and Aurangabad.[27]
Among these the baby plant is Nagpur plant which will the biggest formulation unit for Lupin in coming year.
Europe
Lupin's focus in the European Union encompasses Anti-Infectives, Cardiovascular, and CNS therapy areas, along with niche opportunities in segments like Oral Contraceptives, Dermatology and Ophthalmics. The company's presence in France is by way of a trade partnership; in Germany, it operates through its acquired entity Hormosan Pharma GmbH. ] (Hormosan);[28] while the UK business is a direct-to-market initiative.
Japan
Lupin is the fastest-growing Top 10 generic pharmaceuticals player in Japan (IMS) [citation needed]. It operates in Japan through its subsidiary, Kyowa Pharmaceutical Industry Co. Ltd. (Kyowa), a company acquired in 2007,[29][30] and I’rom, Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd (IP), acquired in 2011.[31][32] Kyowa has an active presence in Neurology, Cardiovascular, Gastroenterology and the Respiratory therapy segments. I'rom is a niche injectables company.
In 2014, Lupin entered into a strategic joint venture agreement with Toyama-based Japanese pharmaceuticals company, Yoshindo Inc. to create YL Biologics (YLB).[33] YLB will be jointly managed by both partners and will be responsible for conducting clinical development of certain biosimilars including regulatory fillings and obtaining marketing authorization in Japan.
In 2019, Lupin exited the generic pharmaceuticals business in Japan by divesting its stake in Kyowa to private equity firm Unison for an enterprise value of Japanese 57,361 million yen (Rs 3,702.4 crore).[34]
South Africa
Lupin's South African subsidiary, Pharma Dynamics (PD)[35] is the fastest growing and the 4th largest generic company in the South African market (IMS).[citation needed] The company is a market leader in the Cardiovascular segment and has a growing presence in Neurology, Gastroenterology and the Over the Counter (OTC) segments.
Australia
Lupin entered the Australian market through its subsidiary, Generic Health Pte. Ltd. (GH).[36] It subsequently acquired the worldwide marketing rights to the over-100-year-old Australian brand Goanna,[37] used for pain management.
Philippines
Lupin's Philippines subsidiary Multicare Pharmaceuticals (Multicare),[38] is a branded generic company focused on Women's Health, Pediatrics, Gastro-Intestinal and Diabetes care. FY 2012 also marked its foray into the Neurology segment when it entered into a strategic marketing partnership with Sanofi.[39]
Mexico & Latin America
In 2014, Lupin acquired 100% equity stake in Laboratories Grin, S.A. De C.V. (Grin), Mexico, a specialty pharmaceutical company engaged in the development, manufacturing and commercialization of branded ophthalmic products. This marked their entry into Mexico and the larger Latin American pharmaceuticals market. In May 2015, Lupin entered the Brazilian market with its acquisition of 100% stake in Medquímica Indústria Farmacêutica S.A., Brazil, (Medquímica).[40]
Key businesses
Anti-Tuberculosis
Lupin is a global leader in Cephalosporins, Cardiovasculars and the anti-TB space. The company is also a strategic supplier of anti-TB products to the Stop TB Partnership, with its formulations supplied to more than 50 countries through GDF procurement.
The Lupin Biotechnology Research Group, based out of Ghotawade & Wakad, near Pune is focussed on developing biosimilars. As of May 2013, it has a pipeline of 10 biosimilar products under development, and is close to getting marketing authorization for 2 of its oncology products for the Indian market. Lupin has competencies for the complete development and manufacture of recombinant protein therapeutic products from high yielding and proprietary microbial and mammalian cell culture platforms. The Biotech R&D infrastructure offers product development capabilities ranging from clone development, process optimization, analytical method development, bioassay, formulation, stability studies, non-clinical and clinical studies backed by a sound understanding of regulatory and IP aspects. The company's biotech development programs are in compliance of and follow ICH, EMEA, and Indian Regulatory guidelines. Company has developed biosimilar versions of Etanercept, Filgrastim, Peg-filgrastim, Ranibizumab.
Diagnostics
Lupin forayed into diagnostics business in December 2021 to provide a comprehensive range of diagnostic tests in India which includes molecular diagnostics, cytogenetics, flow cytometry, microbiology and serology among others.[41] Lupin plans to enroll over 100 laboratories and 1'000 LupiMitra collection centres allover India between 2022 and 2025. 90% of the collection centres will be run by franchisees.[42]
Corporate social responsibility
The Lupin Human Welfare & Research Foundation (LHWRF) was set up in 1988. The project began with a set of rural development projects centred around 35 villages in Bharatpur District, Rajasthan. Later this expanded to other regions and states. The initiative has so far reached out to over 2.8 million people across over 3,400 villages in eight states of India including Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Gujarat and Goa.[13] In July 2018, Lupin foundation signed a statement of Intent with the National Institution for Transforming India (Niti Aayog), a policy think tank of the government of India, to collaborate in the Aspirational Districts Programme and support the development of three backward districts – Nandurbar in Maharashtra, Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh and Dholpur in Rajasthan.[43]
