Vildagliptin

Mumbai: Haffkine Bio-Pharmaceuticals procurement cell will be seeking explanations from two pharmaceutical firms after it came to light that medicines ordered for govt hospitals across the state in Feb had been declared "not of standard quality" and blacklisted by Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) just two months earlier. In Dec, ESIC issued a circular blacklisting specific drugs from seven pharmaceutical companies, citing test results that found these medicines to be of substandard quality and directing that no further orders be placed with them. However, Haffkine Bio-Pharmaceuticals placed large supply orders with two of the listed firms. This resulted in the procurement of nearly 21.9 lakh vials of Pantoprazole 40mg/10ml injection worth Rs 2.5 crore from Galpha Laboratories Ltd, and 88,650 tablets of Vildagliptin 50mg, along with Metformin Hydrochloride 1000mg worth nearly Rs 12.6 lakh, from Bajaj Healthcare Ltd. Pantoprazole is used to treat acid-related stomach issues such as ulcers and acid reflux, while Vildagliptin with Metformin is prescribed to manage type 2 diabetes by controlling blood sugar levels. Although Haffkine is no longer the primary authority for medicine procurement, it was granted permission to utilise the remaining Rs 131.6 crore to restock medicines at state-run hospitals through a Govt Resolution (GR). "The procurement process must be based on ESIC rate contracts as received on the e-Aushadhi platform," the GR stated. A senior official at the procurement cell confirmed that they are looking into the matter. "We have been orally informed by ESIC that the issue pertained to specific batches. Nevertheless, we have sought written responses from the companies as well as from ESIC. These will be submitted to higher authorities, and payments to the companies will be withheld until a reasonable explanation is provided," the official said, but did not provide the amount of payments to be withheld. Abhay Pandey, of the All Food and Drug Licence Holders Foundation, who flagged the issue with medical education department officials, alleged that the existing rate contract was arbitrarily selected by Haffkine without verifying the blacklisting status of the companies or conducting additional tests on the medicines. Haffkine officials did not respond when asked whether random sampling of the procured products was conducted in accordance with the GR. Dr Shashi Kolnoorkar, state ESIC director (Medical), said the blacklisting order came from the Delhi headquarters and that appropriate action had been taken at the time. When asked whether the blacklisting applied to specific batches or constituted a complete ban on the medicines in question, he referred the query to the ESIC head office. Attempts were made to reach Dr Neeta Garbiyal, deputy medical commissioner at the ESIC head office, who had signed the blacklist circular, but she was unavailable for comment. By Eshan Kalyanikar ,

New Delhi: Several domestic drug companies are set to transform diabetes therapy by launching the blockbuster drug Empagliflozin at a fraction of the innovator’s price. Affordable generics will hit the market within days, following the expiry of Boehringer Ingelheim’s patent on Empagliflozin on March 11, industry sources told TOI. The launch of generic Empagliflozin , used to treat diabetes, related comorbidities, including heart failure, promises to slash therapy costs, making it more accessible to millions of diabetics and easing the financial strain of this debilitating disease. Those looking to launch the drug include Mankind Pharma , Torrent, Alkem, Dr Reddy’s and Lupin. Mankind Pharma, India’s fourth-largest firm by market share, plans to offer Empagliflozin at one-tenth the innovator’s Rs 60 per tablet, sources said. Most generic versions will cost Rs 9-14 per tablet, disrupting the high-growth diabetes therapy market valued at nearly Rs 20,000 crore, up 43per cent from Rs 14,000 crore in 2021. 10.1cr Indians live with diabetes, most end up paying out of pocket The market was further bolstered by Torrent Pharmaceuticals’ acquisition of three Empagliflozin brands from Boehringer Ingelheim last year. With India facing a staggering public health burden—10.1 crore people live with diabetes, according to International Diabetes Federation— this shift is critical. “This aligns with our philosophy of breaking cost barriers with a high-quality product (raw materials certified by regulators like the USFDA) at an affordable price. Using our own active pharmaceutical ingredient in bulk lowers costs, and we will deploy separate teams to promote two distinct brands, boosting distribution and market share,” said a Mankind Pharma executive. The market size of Empagliflozin and its combinations is estimated at Rs 640 crore. Experts highlight its ability to significantly reduce heart failure hospitalisations, slow chronic kidney disease progression and improve survival in both diabetic and non-diabetic patients, though high pricing has long limited access. Metformin remains the first-line treatment for type-2 diabetes, but as the disease progresses, additional medications—such as Sulfonylureas (glimepiride, glyburide, glipizide, chlorpropamide), DPP-4 Inhibitors (sitagliptin, vildagliptin), and SGLT2 Inhibitors (empagliflozin, dapagliflozin, canagliflozin)—are added. Now, newer therapies like semaglutide and tirzepatide enhance management, offering improved glycemic control and cardiovascular benefits. The economic burden of diabetes weighs heavily in India, where most patients pay out-of-pocket due to limited medical reimbursement. Treatment costs escalate with complications, magnifying the challenge. By Rupali Mukherjee ,