Common Diabetes Drug Price Cut Due To Generic Versions

New Delhi: The price of commonly used diabetes drug empagliflozin has been slashed by almost one-tenth, with the entry of its generic versions in the market.

Developed by German pharma giant Boehringer Ingelheim (BI) empagliflozin, it is sold under the name Jardiance. It is an oral medication that helps control blood sugar in patients with type 2 diabetes.

The drug which costs around Rs 60 per tablet, will now be sold for Rs5.5 per tablet. It comes as drugmakers Mankind, Alkem, Glenmark launched generic versions of empagliflozin.

In a statement, Mankind Pharma said that its Empagliflozin will now be sold at Rs5.49 per tablet for the 10 mg variant and Rs9.90 per tablet for the 25 mg variant.

"We are ensuring that cost is no longer a barrier to access," said Rajeev Juneja, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Mankind Pharma.

Alkem has launched the drug under the brand name Empanorm at nearly 80 per cent less than the cost of innovator products.

"With a patient-centric approach, Alkem has introduced anti-counterfeit security band on the pack of Empanorm, as well as comprehensive patient education information, including basic details on diabetes management in Hindi and English with infographics, and QR codes that provide prescribing information and additional patient education information on diabetes, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease in 11 languages,” Alkem said in a statement.

Mumbai-based Glenmark Pharmaceuticals has also introduced a generic drug of Empagliflozin under the brand name Glempa (Empagliflozin 10/25 mg), along with its fixed-dose combinations Glempa-L (Empagliflozin 10/25 mg + Linagliptin 5 mg) and Glempa-M (Empagliflozin 12.5 mg + Metformin 500/1000 mg).