Cipla was the first company in India to receive US FDA approval to manufacture oncology formulations for the US markets
Over the years Cipla has been known for its commitment to make medicines affordable and accessible. To prove the statement once again the company has recently slashed prices on selected cancer drugs.
The drugs are used to treat lung cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), (a form of liver cancer), renal cellular carcinoma, (kidney cancer) and glioma, a deadly form of brain cancer.
For example Cipla’s brand ‘Soranib’ (sorafenib) for the treatment of HCC and RCC will now be offered to cancer patients at a price of Rs 6,840 for a month’s therapy, which is a 76 per cent reduction from the current cost of Rs 28,000/-.
This is less than the Rs 8800 which Natco Pharma proposes to charge for a month’s dose of its generic version of sorafenib, on the basis of which it won India’s first complusory license on March 12 this year.
| Therapy | Molecule | Brand name | Pack | Old price | Revised price | Reduction (%) |
| Lung cancer | Geftinib | Gefticip 250 Mg | 10 Tablets | 3400 | 1555 | 59% |
| Lung cancer | Geftinib | Gefticip 250 Mg | 30 Tablets | 10200 | 4250 | 59% |
| Kidney cancer | Sorafenib | Soranib | 30 Tablets | 6990 | 1710 | 76% |
| Brain cancer | Temozolamide | Temoside 100 Mg | 5 Capsules | 8900 | 2400 | 73% |
| Brain cancer | Temozolamide | emoside 20 Mg | 5 Capsules | 1875 | 480 | 75% |
| Brain cancer | Temozolamide | Temoside 250 Mg | 5 Capsules | 20250 | 5000 | 75% |
“This initiative of price reduction is a humanitarian approach by Cipla to support cancer patients,” commented Dr YK Hamied, Chairman and Managing Director, Cipla. He also added, “Drugs constitute a significant proportion of the overall cost of cancer treatment and reduction in costs can greatly relieve the burden.”
According to the WHO, there are about 2.5 million cases of cancers diagnosed in India every year. Most cases receive sub-optimal treatment due to the high cost of drugs. The drugs for cancer treatment are being manufactured in Cipla’s world class manufacturing unit in Goa which is approved by WHO-Geneva, US FDA, UK MHRA and various other international regulatory bodies.
Cipla was the first company in India to receive US FDA approval to manufacture oncology formulations for the US markets.
EP News Bureau — Mumbai
