Cipla launched its first biosimilar drug in India

On April 17, Cipla launched its first biosimilar drug in India. The product is Etacept, a branded biosimilar of Pfizer’s Enbrel (etanercept).




The drug treats rheumatoid arthritis (RA) an autoimmune disease that leads to painful and debilitating inflammation, predominantly of the joints, and is estimated to impact 0.7 per cent of the Indian population above the age of 16 years. Cipla imports the biosimilar from a Chinese company.   Cipla’s Etacept will retail at Rs 6150 per 25 mg dose of the drug which is 30 per cent lower than Enbrel’s Rs 8700 per dose besides being a tad less than the Rs 6525 per dose that Pfizer charges under a patient assistance programme. Patients inject two doses per week.