How Sun Pharma is expanding innovative medicines business as Organon deal adds new therapies
India’s largest drugmaker is building a wider presence beyond traditional generics, backed by specialty therapies, pipeline investments and expansion across international markets
- May 22, 2026,
- Updated May 22, 2026 7:23 PM IST
Sun Pharma is building a larger presence in innovative medicines, established medicines and international markets, as the company prepares for the integration of Organon’s assets while continuing to invest in its pipeline across dermatology, ophthalmology and oncology-dermatology.
The recently announced Organon acquisition will add women’s health brands, fertility treatments and biosimilars to Sun Pharma’s portfolio, while also strengthening its presence in markets such as Europe, China and Latin America. The transaction, valued at $11.75 billion, is among Sun Pharma’s biggest global expansion moves since the Ranbaxy acquisition.
The move comes at a time when Sun Pharma’s innovative medicines business is becoming a larger contributor to overall revenue. The segment recorded sales of $1.42 billion in FY26 and accounted for 20.7% of the company’s total sales, excluding milestone income. Quarterly innovative medicines sales rose 20.1% year-on-year to $354 million and contributed 22.2% of quarterly sales.
“Our full-year performance reflects several significant achievements. Sun’s 0.3 percentage point gain in the India market is our highest gain since the Ranbaxy acquisition. Our U.S. Innovative Medicines business has surpassed USD 1 billion in revenues, while Ex-US Innovative Medicines continues to demonstrate strong growth momentum,” Kirti Ganorkar, Managing Director, Sun Pharma said.
The company is also increasing investments in research and development as it builds a pipeline of specialty and novel therapies. Sun Pharma spent Rs 3,554 crore on R&D in FY26, compared with Rs 3,248 crore in the previous year. In the March quarter alone, R&D expenditure stood at Rs 976 crore.
Its pipeline currently includes five novel entities in clinical development. The company said Ilumya for psoriatic arthritis has already seen a supplementary filing with the US FDA, with a PDUFA date expected in October 2026. Fibromun, being evaluated for soft tissue sarcoma and glioblastoma, is progressing through late-stage development, while GL0034 for type 2 diabetes is expected to report topline data during the second half of calendar year 2027.
Sun Pharma is also advancing Nidlegy for melanoma and skin cancers, while another candidate, MM-II for osteoarthritis pain, is being prepared for partnership-led commercialisation. Alongside specialty therapies, the company continues to expand its generics and formulations presence across markets. India formulations sales rose 14% in FY26 to Rs 19,290 crore, while emerging markets formulation sales increased 13.6% to $1.26 billion. Rest of world formulation sales grew 14.4% to $969 million during the year.
In India, the company launched 37 products during FY26 and increased its market share from 8.1% to 8.4%, according to Pharmarack data cited by the company.
Sun Pharma’s US business, however, continues to see pressure in generics. US formulation sales declined 1.1% in the March quarter to $459 million, although growth in innovative medicines partly offset weakness in the generics portfolio.
The company is also continuing to expand its product filings pipeline in the US market. It currently has 552 approved ANDAs and another 122 applications awaiting US FDA approval, including 28 tentative approvals. The company filed seven ANDAs during the quarter and received approvals for two. Sun Pharma ended FY26 with consolidated sales of Rs 58,220 crore, up 11.9% year-on-year, while net profit rose 5% to Rs 11,479 crore.
Sun Pharma is building a larger presence in innovative medicines, established medicines and international markets, as the company prepares for the integration of Organon’s assets while continuing to invest in its pipeline across dermatology, ophthalmology and oncology-dermatology.
The recently announced Organon acquisition will add women’s health brands, fertility treatments and biosimilars to Sun Pharma’s portfolio, while also strengthening its presence in markets such as Europe, China and Latin America. The transaction, valued at $11.75 billion, is among Sun Pharma’s biggest global expansion moves since the Ranbaxy acquisition.
The move comes at a time when Sun Pharma’s innovative medicines business is becoming a larger contributor to overall revenue. The segment recorded sales of $1.42 billion in FY26 and accounted for 20.7% of the company’s total sales, excluding milestone income. Quarterly innovative medicines sales rose 20.1% year-on-year to $354 million and contributed 22.2% of quarterly sales.
“Our full-year performance reflects several significant achievements. Sun’s 0.3 percentage point gain in the India market is our highest gain since the Ranbaxy acquisition. Our U.S. Innovative Medicines business has surpassed USD 1 billion in revenues, while Ex-US Innovative Medicines continues to demonstrate strong growth momentum,” Kirti Ganorkar, Managing Director, Sun Pharma said.
The company is also increasing investments in research and development as it builds a pipeline of specialty and novel therapies. Sun Pharma spent Rs 3,554 crore on R&D in FY26, compared with Rs 3,248 crore in the previous year. In the March quarter alone, R&D expenditure stood at Rs 976 crore.
Its pipeline currently includes five novel entities in clinical development. The company said Ilumya for psoriatic arthritis has already seen a supplementary filing with the US FDA, with a PDUFA date expected in October 2026. Fibromun, being evaluated for soft tissue sarcoma and glioblastoma, is progressing through late-stage development, while GL0034 for type 2 diabetes is expected to report topline data during the second half of calendar year 2027.
Sun Pharma is also advancing Nidlegy for melanoma and skin cancers, while another candidate, MM-II for osteoarthritis pain, is being prepared for partnership-led commercialisation. Alongside specialty therapies, the company continues to expand its generics and formulations presence across markets. India formulations sales rose 14% in FY26 to Rs 19,290 crore, while emerging markets formulation sales increased 13.6% to $1.26 billion. Rest of world formulation sales grew 14.4% to $969 million during the year.
In India, the company launched 37 products during FY26 and increased its market share from 8.1% to 8.4%, according to Pharmarack data cited by the company.
Sun Pharma’s US business, however, continues to see pressure in generics. US formulation sales declined 1.1% in the March quarter to $459 million, although growth in innovative medicines partly offset weakness in the generics portfolio.
The company is also continuing to expand its product filings pipeline in the US market. It currently has 552 approved ANDAs and another 122 applications awaiting US FDA approval, including 28 tentative approvals. The company filed seven ANDAs during the quarter and received approvals for two. Sun Pharma ended FY26 with consolidated sales of Rs 58,220 crore, up 11.9% year-on-year, while net profit rose 5% to Rs 11,479 crore.