Everest Medicines Enters into Agreement with Vcare PharmaTech for Sumecigrel
Tuesday, June 09, 2026
Everest Medicines has entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with Vcare PharmaTech for the development, registration and commercialisation of Sumecigrel across the Asia-Pacific region.
Sumecigrel, formerly known as Vicagrel, is a next-generation oral P2Y12 receptor antagonist being developed for the treatment and prevention of atherothrombotic events, including acute coronary syndrome (ACS), ischaemic stroke (IS) and peripheral arterial disease (PAD). The drug is currently progressing towards New Drug Application (NDA) submissions in China, the United States and Europe.
The agreement covers Southeast Asia, South Korea, Australia, Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR and Taiwan region, China.
The agreement strengthens Everest Medicines’ cardiovascular portfolio and supports its strategy to expand access to innovative therapies across the Asia-Pacific region.
The candidate has been designed to address limitations associated with clopidogrel resistance by optimising the drug’s metabolic pathway while retaining its active metabolite.
According to the company, Sumecigrel offers faster onset of action, lower dosing requirements, more consistent efficacy, a reduced metabolic burden and improved management of bleeding risks. These features position it as a potential best-in-class antiplatelet therapy.
Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases remain among the leading causes of death globally. In 2019, these conditions accounted for approximately 17.9 million deaths worldwide, representing around 32% of all deaths. The number increased to 19.2 million in 2023. Myocardial infarction and stroke continue to account for the majority of these fatalities.
Antiplatelet medicines are widely used to reduce the risk of blood clots by preventing platelet activation and aggregation. P2Y12 receptor antagonists form an important class of these therapies. However, currently available treatments still face challenges related to efficacy variability and bleeding risks, highlighting the need for improved treatment options.
The drug is recognised as the world’s first next-generation P2Y12 receptor antagonist specifically designed to overcome the impact of CYP2C19 genetic polymorphism on clopidogrel metabolism. Research related to its molecular design has been published in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, and the programme has been highlighted for its commercial potential within the global drug development field.
With preparations underway for NDA submissions in multiple countries, Sumecigrel is expected to provide a new treatment option for patients with atherothrombotic diseases and could strengthen competition in the antithrombotic market.
Source: everestmedicines.com
