The future depends on what you do today. - Mahatma Gandhi
My Dear Shareowners
There are moments in the life of an institution when decisions must be
made not for today, but for decades to come. Moments that demand courage over comfort,
conviction over convention.
Wockhardt's journey over the past few years has been defined by
such a moment. Faced with a rapidly shifting global healthcare landscape, we chose to
transform, not incrementally, but fundamentally. We chose to evolve from a generics-led
pharmaceutical business into a science-first, innovation-led enterprise with a
single-minded focus on solving one of the most urgent threats facing humanity:
antimicrobial resistance (AMR). At its core, our purpose is simple - to save lives,
globally and sustainably. This transformation has matured into a resolute,
multi-dimensional strategy. It is visible in our scientific investments, operational
discipline, global partnerships and capital stewardship. It reflects our belief that
healthcare is not about doing what is easy. It is about doing what is essential.
At a time when the global pipeline of new antibiotics is narrowing
further, Wockhardt stands among the few still investing in bold solutions for
drug-resistant infections. These assets are not just scientific programs. They are
life-saving interventions aimed at preserving the success of modern medicine.
Our novel antibiotic platform, with six innovative assets, has moved
from promise to proof. ZAYNICH? (WCK 5222), our first-in-class 3-lactam enhancer,
Zidebactam combined with cefepime, has successfully completed a global Phase III study for
complicated urinary tract infections and acute pyelonephritis. Conducted across 64 sites,
the trial enrolled 530 patients and demonstrated a 96.8% clinical cure rate, the highest
among recently developed antibiotics. Notably, ZAYNICH? outperformed Meropenem, the gold
standard, with a combined cure rate of 89.0% versus 68.4%. These results fulfilled both US
FDA and EMA endpoints, paving the way for global registration. We filed the new drug
application in India on March 31, 2025, and expect to submit the same in the USA by August
2025. ZAYNICH? has already been used on compassionate grounds in 51 patients, including
three in the US, with cure rates exceeding 95% and a consistent safety profile over
extended durations of 8 to 9 weeks. Rarely does a new drug show such promise to transform
the management of serious infections in intensive care settings even before its formal
approval. ZAYNICH? has done just that.
Equally transformative is the launch of MIQNAF? (Nafithromycin),
India's first indigenous macrolide-class respiratory antibiotic in over 30 years.
Approved and launched in May 2025, MIQNAF? offers a 3-day, ultra-short-course oral
therapy for antibiotic-resistant community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP), a
condition causing over 2 million deaths globally each year. India bears 23 percent of this
burden. With rising resistance
to azithromycin and lack of coverage of atypical CABP pathogens for
co-amoxiclav, a new solution for contemporary patients with multi-morbidities was long
awaited. MIQNAF? targets both typical and atypical respiratory pathogens. It delivers
high efficacy, a strong safety profile and patient-friendly advantages such as once-daily
usage, minimal drug interactions and no dietary restrictions, making it ideal for
community care.
Developed over 14 years, with trials conducted in the US, Europe and
India, MIQNAF? received the BIRAC Innovator Award 2024. It stands as a symbol of
India's scientific leadership in the fight against AMR. A dedicated team is actively
working with chest physicians and consulting specialists across India. Filings are also in
progress in Saudi Arabia, Southeast Asia, Africa and Latin America.
Strengthening our pipeline is ERTAPENEM-ZIDEBACTAM (WCK 6777), the only
once-daily outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy (OPAT) molecule currently in global
development. Designed to reduce hospitalisation, enable early discharge and support
treatment in home or peripheral care settings, this therapy marks a paradigm shift in how
resistant infections are managed. Phase I studies conducted by the US National Institutes
of Health (NIH) have confirmed a strong safety profile.
Together, these New Chemical Entities (NCEs) address a broad range of
WHO-priority pathogens and represent one of the most comprehensive and clinically advanced
antibiotic portfolios globally. All six programs have been granted Qualified Infectious
Disease Product (QIDP) status by the US FDA, enabling fast-track regulatory pathways and
extended market exclusivity.
Alongside this, we continue to scale our biosimilars business,
especially in Insulin and Glargine, supported by capacity expansion and entry into new
markets. In India, our biotech vertical is poised for accelerated growth as we modernise
infrastructure and expand access to affordable diabetes care. These achievements are the
result of a clear, forwardlooking strategy.
With operations in more than 45 countries, R&D and manufacturing
across India, the UK and Ireland, and a diverse multinational team, Wockhardt is not just
developing medicines. We are helping build the global healthcare survival infrastructure.
Looking ahead, our focus is clear:
Accelerate filings and market launches of ZAYNICH? and MIQNAF?
Expand biosimilar access in underserved geographies Embed AI and
digital tools into every step of drug development Continue shaping science where it's
needed most
As I reflect on our journey, I am deeply grateful to every scientist,
clinician, regulator, partner and employee who powers our mission forward with commitment
and vision.
I know that our greatest tests, and our greatest contributions, still
lie ahead. We are intervening not just in disease, but in the architecture of global
healthcare survival. We do not follow markets. We shape them. In doing so, we preserve not
just the power of medicine, but the sanctity of life.
We do not pursue this for scale. We pursue it because the world cannot
afford inaction.
We do it because saving lives worldwide is the most meaningful outcome
we can deliver.
This is not a quarterly ambition. It is a generational one. And in
every lab, in every ward, in every patient saved, a quiet declaration is being made;
That science has answers.
And that in the face of every resistance,
Life Wins.
Dr. Habil Khorakiwala
Founder Chairman Wockhardt Group