Mankind Pharma launches generic empagliflozin in India

Rajeev Juneja, vice chairman and managing director of Mumbai, Indian-based drugmaker Mankind Pharma (NSE: MANKIND), today announced that the company is launching the generic version as well as its fixed dose combination (FDCs) of diabetes drug empagliflozin in India, at a 90% discount to the originator, Boehringer Ingelheim’s  drug, Jardiance. The news came as empagliflozin lost patent protection in India.

“With this launch, Mankind Pharma has once again broken cost barriers by offering a product that combines international quality with affordability.  By introducing empagliflozin at INR 5.49 per tablet for the 10mg variant and INR 9.90 per tablet for the 25mg variant, we are ensuring that cost is no longer a barrier to access. Aligned with our vision towards building a healthier Bharat, we remain committed in making high-quality medicines affordable and accessible to every patient in need. Our decision to deploy two separate teams to promote these offerings under distinct names ensures deeper market penetration and a broader reach in this highly competitive segment. Additionally, our extensive distribution network will ensure that this price innovation benefits patients in both urban and rural areas,” Mr Juneja stated.

On the market impact as well as influence of dapagliflozin generics (Farxiga/Forxiga from AstraZeneca (LSE: AZN]), Mr Juneja told Financial Express.com: “…those patients who are taking dapagliflozin will not be changed but new patients, would be given empagliflozin. That’s a kind of an assumption we make. On the basis of that, we are quite hopeful, and optimistic that this will do fantastic. And on that basis I’m seeing that 50 percent volume wise growth can be achieved if I’m not very very aggressive in my thought process.”