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P.T.Jyothi Datta

Cipla slashes prices; Emcure gets onto Bush's relief plan

Mumbai , March 17

"A giant step down," is how Mumbai-based Cipla introduces its latest price-cut on a clutch of anti-AIDS medicines.

But it is a big step forward for Pune-based Emcure that has just become the newest Indian entrant on the US President, Mr George W Bush's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

Indian drug makers have been supplying AIDS drugs to overseas and local markets for sometime now. And it is in-step with this commitment that Cipla slashed its price on select anti-retrovirals (ARV) or anti-AIDS drugs.

Cipla's Joint Managing Director, Mr Amar Lulla, told Business Line that the company was passing on more than the just the excise benefit given on select AIDS and cancer drugs in the Budget.

"We are also passing on the benefit of technical development on these drugs. We have had such price cuts seven or eight times in the past," he said.

The highest cut of 33 per cent is on a 30-tablet pack of Tenvir, whose price has been brought down to Rs 3,000. The price on a 60-tablet pack of Ritomune has been brought down 27 per cent to Rs 1,800; Lopimune has taken a 25 per cent price cut on its 90-tablet pack that is now priced at Rs 3,375. A 30's pack of Abamune is now priced at Rs 1,350, after a reduction of 25 per cent. Dinex 250 mg is priced at Rs 690 on a 30's pack, after a 20 per cent cut: a similar pack of Dinex 400 mg is priced at Rs 1,110, after a 20 per cent cut. A 30's pack of Indivan is now priced at Rs 525 after a 25 per cent cut.

Emcure on PEPFAR

Meanwhile, during a ceremony earlier this week at the White House, Emcure was taken on-board a paediatric HIV/AIDS initiative that is part of PEPFAR.

Mr A.K.Khanna, Emcure's Director-operations told the correspondent that a meeting has been scheduled for April 19, when the group would meet to chalk out an action plan.

Innovator companies such as Bristol-Myers Squibb, Gilead Sciences, Merck, Glaxosmithkline and generic companies including Cipla, Ranbaxy and Aurobindo, among others.

More Stories on : Pharmaceuticals | Health | Cipla Ltd

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