JOIN USPharma major Cipla on Thursday slashed prices of its three generic cancer drugs - Erlocip, Docetax and Capegard - by up to 64 per cent. These drugs help in treatment of lung & pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, head & neck cancer, gastric cancer, bladder, colorectal and colon cancers.
Cipla said the lung cancer drug Erlocip will now cost Rs 9,900 for thirty tablets against its earlier price of Rs 27,000, while Docetax used for treating breast cancer, head & neck cancer, gastric cancer and bladder cancer will now cost Rs 1,650 from its earlier price of Rs 3,300.
Capegard, another cancer drug for treating breast, colon and colorectal cancer will now be available at Rs 600 for 10 tablets from its earlier price of Rs 1,200, the statement added.
Cipla CMD Y K Hamied said, “Continuing its contribution towards affordable and accessible treatment for patients, Cipla extends the work done in HIV/AIDS and malaria to now include cancer, not only in India but globally.”
In May this year, Cipla had slashed prices of its generic drugs, used in treating cancers of brain, lung and kidney, by up to 76 per cent. Decision to cut drug prices came on the back of the government permitting domestic firm Natco Pharma to manufacture and sell cancer treatment drug Nexavar at a price over 30 times lower than charged by its patent-holder Bayer Corporation. In an order by Controller of Patents in March, Natco was allowed to sell the drug at a price not exceeding Rs 8,880 for a pack of 120 tablets required for a month’s treatment as compared to Rs 2.80 lakh per month charged by Bayer for its Nexavar drug.