Zydus Lifesciences’ Zynext Ventures Invests in Illexcor Therapeutics for Sickle Cell Drug Development

Zydus Lifesciences Ltd announced on Wednesday, March 12, that its venture capital arm, Zynext Ventures USA LLC, has invested in Illexcor Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing next-generation oral therapies for sickle cell disease (SCD).

The investment is part of Zynext Ventures’ strategy to support breakthrough healthcare innovations addressing significant unmet medical needs.

Advancing a First-in-Class Oral Therapy for Sickle Cell Disease

Illexcor Therapeutics is working on a first-in-class oral drug designed to directly target the root cause of sickle cell disease. Their lead candidate, ILX002, is currently in preclinical development and aims to bind to Hemoglobin S, effectively blocking polymerisation and sickling of red blood cells.

This mechanism has the potential to offer a disease-modifying treatment for SCD, a debilitating genetic disorder affecting up to 10 million people worldwide.

Commitment to Addressing Rare and Orphan Diseases

Dr Sharvil Patel, Managing Director of Zydus Lifesciences, emphasised the importance of the investment, stating, “This investment reflects our commitment to patients battling rare and orphan diseases. Recognising the profound impact of sickle cell disease on patients’ lives, we are pleased to support Illexcor in their efforts to develop a novel therapeutic solution addressing this critical unmet medical need.”

Sickle cell disease significantly affects patients’ quality of life and longevity, with an urgent need for highly efficacious oral therapies to manage the condition globally.

Strategic Collaboration to Accelerate Clinical Trials

Illexcor’s CEO, Andrew Fleischman, expressed optimism about the partnership, stating, “We are excited to partner with Zynext Ventures to advance our lead drug ILX002 into clinical trials later this year. We are hopeful that ILX002 will be a transformative treatment not only for SCD patients in the U.S. but also for millions around the globe. Zynext Ventures and Zydus Lifesciences are in a strategic position to help us achieve these goals.”

Stocks Performance 

On March 12, 2025, Zydus Lifesciences’ share price ended 1.21% lower at ₹889. Zydus Lifesciences’ share price reached a 52-week high of ₹1,323.90, and a 52-week low of ₹859.15. As per BSE, the total traded volume for the stock stood at 0.47 lakh shares with a turnover of ₹4.16 crores.

At the current price, Zydus Lifesciences shares are trading at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 20.49x, based on its trailing 12-month earnings per share (EPS) of ₹43.39, and a price-to-book (P/B) ratio of 5.00, according to exchange data.

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