Generic versions of diabetes drug Sitagliptin now available at govt stores at affordable prices

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The Centre, on September 16, announced the launch of diabetes drug Sitagliptin at about 8,700 Janaushadhi Kendras across India at affordable prices.

Sitagliptin is a drug from the class of DPP-4 inhibitors, and a one-of-its-kind medicine for the treatment of high glucose levels in the blood, also known as hyperglycaemia.

The patent of the drug, originally developed and distributed by Merck under the brand name Januvia, recently expired after which a number of Indian drugmakers have launched its generic versions.

Now, the Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI) under the department of pharmaceuticals (DoP) in the Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers has launched various variants of Sitagliptin- two formulations 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.

Branded variants are available in price bands of Rs 162 to Rs 258 at other medical stores, said the DOP.

A strip of 10 tablets containing Sitagliptin will cost Rs 60-100 at the government-run generic medicine stores.

Under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana, stores are run to sell quality generic medicines, surgical equipment, nutraceuticals and other products. At present, these Kendras make available more than 1,600 medicines and 250 surgical devices including Suvidha Sanitary pads which are sold at Rs 1 per pad.

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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 told Moneycontrol.

According to him, till now, the problem was that the drugs were relatively more expensive but as Sitagliptin has become patent free, a large number of pharmaceutical companies have introduced its generic version 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.