Eli-Lilly out with India’s first Alzheimer’s drug, Lormalzi

Eli-Lilly has launched India’s first disease-modifying Alzheimer’s drug, donenemab, under the brand name Lormalzi. Approved by the CDSCO in 2025, the treatment aims to slow cognitive decline in early-stage patients, though high costs and healthcare limitations may affect accessibility.

By Harikrishnan R

Hyderabad: Pharmaceutical giant Eli-Lilly is again in the spotlight with the launch of India’s first Alzheimer’s disease-modifying drug, donenemab, under the brand name ‘Lormalzi’.

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The monthly administered intravenous drug works by breaking down beta-amyloid protein plaques (protein clusters) accumulated in the brain, a primary cause of Alzheimer’s disease.

Clinical trials have shown that the breakdown and removal of these protein clusters slows cognitive decline in early-stage patients by almost 30 to 35 per cent.

Donenemab, an artificially engineered monoclonal antibody, was developed by Eli-Lilly in the 2010s and was first approved for medical use in the US in 2024.

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) approved the drug for medical use in November 2025 based on the global Phase III trial data, waiving local trials due to the high unmet need for the drug in India.

Priced at Rs 91,688 per dose, Lormalzi’s cost is likely to be the biggest obstacle for patients seeking access to the drug.

As of 2026, close to 9 million people in India suffer from dementia, with Alzheimer’s accounting for almost 75 per cent of these cases. Studies show that this number could double by 2036.

In light of the growing burden of Alzheimer’s disease, the introduction of the drug in the country is seen as a necessary step.

It is also important to note that there are several limitations to the effective implementation of the drug in India.

Treatment with Lormalzi requires early detection of the disease, something that rarely happens among patients in India.

There is also a need to screen patients for compatibility with the drug to prevent adverse effects.

The current health infrastructure in the country may not yet be ready for this, and the cost of the drug makes it even less accessible.

At the same time, the president and general manager of Eli-Lilly India, Winselow Tucker, has announced an Alternate Access Programme to provide broader access for eligible patients in the country.