Zydus Lifesciences to Pursue Acquisitions in Specialty and Rare Diseases

Zydus Lifesciences has announced that it will pursue further strategic acquisitions in the specialty and rare diseases segments, as part of its broader plan to build a high-margin specialty pharmaceutical business, particularly in the United States.

The company recently signed a definitive agreement to acquire U.S.-based Assertio Holdings for $166.4 million through its subsidiary Zydus Worldwide DMCC. This acquisition is intended to strengthen Zydus’s presence in specialty oncology and supportive care in the U.S., leveraging Assertio’s commercial infrastructure and established products such as Rolvedon, a long-acting biologic for oncology supportive care.

Zydus has already built a rare diseases portfolio through earlier acquisitions, including products such as Nulibry®, Zokinvy®, and ZYCUBO (copper histidinate) for conditions like Menkes disease and Progeria. Management has indicated that its non-generic specialty portfolio, encompassing rare diseases and oncology supportive care, is expected to become a meaningful growth driver over the next three to five years.