Optimus Pharma receives India's first DCGI approval for Tapinarof Cream 1% w/w and its API for plaque psoriasis

Optimus Pharma, a subsidiary of Sekhmet Pharmaventures, has become the first company in India to receive permission from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to manufacture and market Tapinarof Cream 1% w/w and the tapinarof bulk drug.

Tapinarof Cream 1% w/w is a non-steroidal topical treatment for plaque psoriasis in adults. Psoriasis is a chronic, non-communicable skin condition that the World Health Organization estimates affects at least 100 million people worldwide.

Indian studies place prevalence in the country between 0.44 and 2.8 percent, with plaque psoriasis the most common presentation.

With both the bulk drug and the finished formulation produced in-house, Optimus maintains control across the end-to-end manufacturing journey, from drug substance to finished dosage form, supporting consistency, traceability and quality at every stage.

Optimus Pharma is part of Sekhmet Pharmaventures, a leading pharmaceutical platform in India backed by PAG, an alternative investment firm focused on Asia Pacific with approximately $55 billion in assets under management.