Eisai Pharma introduces anti-epileptic drug at India-specific price

Japanese drugmaker Eisai Pharmaceuticals has introduced its anti-epileptic drug Fycompa (perampanel) at an India-specific price.

The company was clear that India would see a differential price for this product, said Sanjit Singh Lamba, Managing Director, Eisai Pharmaceuticals India. The drug is priced at less than one dollar per tablet, as compared to $ 12 to $15 in the United States and Europe, he said.

The drug is available in India in three strengths, at Rs 33 for 2 mg, Rs 55 for 4 mg and about Rs 70 for 6 mg, he said. Though the product had received local approval in November 2016, its roll-out had to incorporate the implications of GST, he said, as it had to be imported from the company's plant in the United Kingdom. The drug attracts 12 per cent GST.

A patented drug, Fycompa is a once-daily oral dose taken at bedtime. And its convenience increases compliance, he said. The drug is an adjunctive or add-on therapy for the treatment of partial-onset seizures with or without secondarily generalised seizures in patients with epilepsy aged 12 and older.

“Nearly 12 million patients in India suffer from epilepsy and 95 per cent of these patients do not receive adequate treatment,” said Lamba. Eisai also makes oncology and CNS (central nervous system) products. While with oncology or cancer products, a three-tier pricing system is followed to make the medicine more affordable and in the CNS space, the company has a patient assistance programme with financial support for those who need it, he explained. A similar programme supports the epilepsy drug, he said.

In 2005, Eisai had brought in its dementia drug Aricep which has seen a 35 per cent price cut this year after it was brought under price control. The drug sells at Rs 70 for 10 tables, he said.

The company’s outlook is to make drugs available despite the low margins and other challenges, he said, referring to price control and patent-related issues.

Eisai had two tie-ups in India with Wockhardt for the manufacture and distribution of Methycobal and with GlaxoSmithKline for Parit (rabeprazole sodium). Despite regulatory concerns facing some of Wockhardt’s plans in India, Eisai’s tie-up continues, he said. Production though has shifted out of Wockhardt’s troubled Chikalthana plant to Baddi for the tablets and to another Contract Manufacturing Organisation for the injectibles, he said, adding that it would move back to the first location after remediation efforts were completed. The GSK deal has ended following GSK’s changed priorities and the deal on Parit is with Biocon since last year, he said.

jyothi.datta@thehindu.co.in

COMMENT NOW