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Glenmark Pharmaceuticals has launched a biosimilar version of anti‐diabetic drug, Liraglutide, a first in India. The product also marks Glenmark’s entry in the injectable anti-diabetic therapies segment.
Sold as Lirafit, it is priced at around Rs 100 for a standard dose of 1. 2m per day, lowering the cost of therapy by approximately 70 per cent, Glenmark said. The retail cost of the disposable pen-like device (that includes 15 doses) is Rs 1,855.
The innovator product from Novo Nordisk is also available in the country at about Rs 5,324, according to trade data.
“Clinical trials have shown that it (Liraglutide) helps improve glycemic control in adult type-2 diabetes mellitus patients, along with atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVD) and obesity. Liraglutide has also proven to have a positive impact on cardiac and renal safety outcomes among patients in clinical trials, making it an effective choice of treatment for patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus. With this launch, we have now ventured into the injectable anti‐diabetic market, taking another significant stride in the diabetes therapy space,” said Alok Malik, Glenmark President and Head ‐ India Formulations.
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‘Well-tolerated’
Liraglutide belongs to the class of glucagon‐like peptide 1 receptor agonist (GLP‐1 RA) drugs, and it has been approved globally for the management of type-2 diabetes mellitus in adult patients in the US and the European Union. It has proven its efficacy in improving glycemic control in patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus, the company said.
“Clinical trials on Indian adult patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus over a 24‐week period have demonstrated LirafitTM to be effective, safe and well‐tolerated. The trials also revealed non‐inferior efficacy and a safety profile with that of the reference liraglutide,” Glenmark said. According to industry estimates, sales data for the 12‐month period ending August 2023, the market for GLP‐1 RA in India is estimated to be Rs 259 crore, the note said.
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