On September 16, Centre announced the launch of diabetes drug Sitagliptin at about 8,700 Janaushadhi Kendras across India at affordable prices.
Sitagliptin is a DPP-4 inhibitor drug that is a first-of-its-kind treatment for high blood glucose levels, also known as hyperglycemia.
The drug’s patent, which was originally developed and distributed by Merck under the brand name Januvia, recently expired, and a number of Indian drugmakers have launched generic versions.
The Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI) of the Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers has now launched two formulations of Sitagliptin as a single molecule and two others as fixed-dose combinations. These variants will be sold at 60 to 70 percent lesser price as compared to the branded versions.
“Sitagliptin is indicated as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycaemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus,” said the DOP in a statement.
According to the DOP, branded variants are available at other medical stores for Rs 162 to Rs 258.
A strip of ten Sitagliptin tablets will cost between Rs 60 and Rs 100 at government-run generic medicine stores.
Stores are operated under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana to sell quality generic medicines, surgical equipment, nutraceuticals, and other products. At the moment, these Kendras offer over 1,600 medicines and 250 surgical devices, including Suvidha Sanitary pads for Rs 1 per pad.
Why Sitagliptin
According to Dr V Mohan, a renowned diabetologist from Chennai, DPP-inhibitors are a safe group of drugs with minimum side effects and can even be used in elderly patients.
“Moreover it has been seen in studies that DPP-4 inhibitors in general and Sitagliptin in particular are very effective in lowering blood glucose levels in Asians in general and Indians in particular,” he stated.
Previously, the problem was that the drugs were relatively more expensive, but now that Sitagliptin is no longer patentable, a large number of pharmaceutical companies have introduced generic versions, making it much more affordable.
“With this, the use of Sitagliptin has shot up in our country. It is hoped that the number of people who use the drug will now substantially increase with the price reduction,” he said.
The advantage of the drug is that it can be given in the early stages of the disease, just after the diagnosis; a few years after the diagnosis and even in the late stages of the disease, Mohan added.
