18 Mar , 2026 By : Debdeep Gupta
Mankind Pharma has acquired the Indian rights to Rivotril, the long?established brand from Swiss giant Roche, to scale its presence in chronic and central nervous system (CNS) therapies, the New Delhi-based company said on March 18, without sharing the financial details for the deal.
The deal grants Mankind exclusive rights to manufacture, market and distribute the drug in India, the company said.
At 11.04 am, Mankind stock was trading at Rs 2,121.90 on BSE, up 2.63 percent from the previous close.
Mankind Pharma, traditionally strong in the acute market (infections, pain, and gastro), is shifting its focus to specialty and chronic segments to keep pace with the industry-wide move beyond commoditised drugs.
The company has been adding specialty assets through in?licensing deals, new launches and portfolio additions, aiming to lift the contribution of chronic segments to its revenue mix.
Rivotril, considered a “textbook brand” in neurology with long?standing recall among psychiatrists and neurologists, offers Mankind a ready?made leadership opportunity in a category that depends heavily on specialist trust and clinical legacy.
“This acquisition aligns with our strategy to strengthen our chronic and specialty therapy footprint,” said Atish Majumdar, senior president for Mankind’s specialty business. The company sees scope for line extensions and expanded indications as it builds out a broader CNS platform.
The push fits neatly into Mankind’s long?term shift toward chronic therapies, which have been growing faster than its traditional acute?care portfolio.
Rivotril’s addition, backed by decades of clinical familiarity, gives Mankind a defensible position in epilepsy, anxiety disorders and other neurological conditions where clonazepam remains widely prescribed.
Mankind plans to leverage its nationwide distribution network and sizeable field force — over 17,700 professionals engaging more than 500,000 doctors — to widen the brand’s reach across both urban and semi?urban markets, the company said. It already holds a sizeable prescription share across multiple therapy areas, giving it a strong platform to scale a mature CNS brand like Rivotril.
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