Brands
Morepen Laboratories’ sugar-busting bargain hits Indian market
MUMBAI: Morepen Laboratories has unleashed Empamore, a wallet-friendly weapon against Type 2 diabetes, heart failure and kidney disease that promises to shake up treatment for millions in the world’s diabetes capital.
With India groaning under the weight of 101 million diabetes cases, the pharmaceutical firm’s latest offering aims to deliver the same therapeutic punch as pricier alternatives at a fraction of the cost—a sweet deal for patients previously priced out of optimal care.
The new drug, empagliflozin, belongs to the coveted class of SGLT2 inhibitors and will be available in various formulations, including combinations with metformin. All products are manufactured at Morepen’s facilities, which boast the American regulator’s stamp of approval.
“At Morepen, we are dedicated to democratising healthcare by making world-class treatments accessible to all,” declared vice president of sales & marketing Ashutosh Sharma. “With Empamore, we are providing a trusted, high-quality diabetes treatment at nearly 90 per cent lower cost than existing brands, helping millions manage their condition effectively without financial strain.”
This aggressive pricing strategy aims to capture a hefty slice of India’s diabetes market, which is expected to grow at a robust 10.9 per cent compound annual growth rate as pre-diabetes cases swell to a staggering 136 million.
Morepen is no newcomer to the diabetes battleground. The company has already flooded the market with more than 12.33 million glucometers and a mind-boggling 1.65 billion blood glucose strips, establishing itself as a familiar name in medicine cabinets across the subcontinent.
The firm’s latest offering promises more than just glycaemic control, addressing cardiovascular and renal complications while packaging the pills in perforated strips for patients who might otherwise struggle with adherence.
With a global footprint spanning 82 countries, Morepen’s bargain-basement diabetes treatment may soon be sweetening the lives of patients far beyond Indian shores—proving that sometimes, the best medicine is the one you can actually afford.
Brands
ZEEL transfers syndication business, invests Rs 505 crore in IP push
Restructuring, stake buy and FCCB moves signal sharper content strategy
MUMBAI: In the content economy, owning the story is half the battle monetising it is the real game, and Zee Entertainment Enterprises is doubling down on both. The company has approved the transfer of its syndication and content licensing business to its wholly owned subsidiary ZI-IPR Enterprises, alongside an investment of Rs 505 crore aimed at strengthening its play in content intellectual property (IP) acquisition, management and monetisation. The move, effective April 1, 2026, will see the business transferred on a slump sale basis at book value, including all associated assets, liabilities and commercial rights effectively consolidating IP operations under a more focused structure.
At its core, the restructuring signals a strategic shift. As content consumption increasingly fragments across digital and global platforms, the value of IP lies not just in creation but in how efficiently it can be distributed, repackaged and monetised across markets. By housing its syndication engine within ZI-IPR Enterprises, ZEEL appears to be building a more agile and scalable ecosystem, one that can better extract value from its vast content library while adapting to evolving distribution models.
But the company’s ambitions are not limited to restructuring. ZEEL has also approved an investment of up to Rs 20.09 crore in Culture of Real Experiences (CORE), acquiring a 51 per cent stake in the entity. The move expands its footprint into the broader creative and experiential space, suggesting a push beyond traditional broadcasting into areas where content, culture and immersive experiences intersect.
At the same time, ZEEL has moved to tidy up its financials, approving the redemption of $23.9 million in outstanding foreign currency convertible bonds (FCCBs) and cancelling an unused $215.1 million commitment. The twin steps are expected to ease pressure on its treasury, freeing up capital and improving financial flexibility as the company invests more aggressively in its IP strategy.
Taken together, the decisions reflect a company in recalibration mode streamlining legacy structures, sharpening its focus on content ownership, and exploring new avenues for growth. In a market where the lines between television, streaming and experiential entertainment are increasingly blurred, ZEEL’s latest moves suggest it is not just creating content, but building a system to make that content travel further and pay better.
