Teneligliptin, a drug to control diabetes, is in the middle of an intense price war. While Mankind Pharma reduced its price by 50 per cent within 24 hours of a launch, Glenmark is evaluating the option of decreasing the price. A week ago, Zydus Cadila, another prominent player, already launched the lowest-priced Teneligliptin.
India's Gliptin market, estimated at Rs 2,000 crore yearly, is growing at around 60 per cent annually. Of the 68 million diabetics in India, about 1.85 million are on the Gliptin therapy to manage their type-2 diabetes.
According to October data from the All-India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD), the country's anti-diabetic drug market is seeing a growth of 25 per cent at Rs 7,638 crore.
"We are evaluating the option of lowering the price of our two Teneligliptin brands (Ziten and Zita Plus) to get more patients in the advanced Gliptin therapy fold," says Sujesh Vasudevan, president and head of India Business, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals.
Glenmark had launched these two drugs earlier this year at Rs 20 a tablet, half the price of the medicine sold by many multinational drug firms. Last year, anti-diabetes drugs accounted for only Rs 100 crore to Glenmark's overall revenue of Rs 6,600 crore. While it is a dominant player in dermatology, the company is now planning to expand its product portfolio in other therapeutic areas like diabetes.
Mankind Pharma, which launched its own Teneligliptin generic 'Dynaglipt' on November 23 at Rs 20 a tablet, decreased the drug's price a day later to Rs 8.60 a tablet.
"Diabetes is a growing epidemic; to cater to it, we are targeting the middle-class and rural diabetic patients, so that it becomes affordable and more economical. The change in prices will help reduce the cost of medicines by about half," said R C Juneja, chairman & founder, Mankind Pharma. The company is targeting at least Rs 200 crore in annual revenue from this drug.
Zydus Cadila, which launched its own generic drug 'Tenglyn' at Rs 7 a tablet a week ago, has no immediate plans to reduce the price further, according to a senior company executive.
"Considering the incidence of the disease, benefits of the drug, and price, Gliptin could become a large-volume drug and face further price erosion as volumes grow," says D G Shah, secretary-general, Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA).
The Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India, representing multinational companies, refused to comment on the subject.
INTERPRETER OF REMEDIES
Glenmark to reduce teneligliptin prices (Rs 20 per tablet at present)
Mankind & Zydus Cadila have priced these below Rs 10 a tablet
Teneligliptin is a drug of gliptin category that has shown significant results in controlling blood sugar in type-2 diabetics
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