anti-diabetic therapy - estimated at nearly Rs 8,500 crore
The following is a grim reminder of the growing incidence of lifestyle diseases in India
Five out of the top 10 largest-selling drugs in the country are now anti-diabetics, with the therapy registering a robust double-digit growth year-on-year.
The control of chronic diseases like diabetes poses one of the biggest challenges for India's healthcare practitioners, even as the World Health Organisation for the first time highlighted recently the need to step up prevention and treatment of the disease. A couple of years ago, only two-three diabetes drugs featured in the top-10 list of medicines. Also, top-selling drugs in the organised pharma retail market had largely been dominated by anti-infectives and antibiotics in the past.
Insulin brand Human Mixtard, oral formulation Glycomet GP, insulin Lantus, oral formulations Galvus Met and Janumet are now in the top-selling list of drugs in the country. Overall, the anti-diabetic therapy - estimated at nearly Rs 8,500 crore (moving annual total, or MAT for June 2016) - is the fifth-largest in the organised pharma retail market, growing at a strong double-digit rate of 12%, data culled from market research firm AIOCD Awacs said.
Human Mixtard, an insulin brand of Novo Nordisk, continues to occupy the top slot in the organised pharmaceutical market, with sales of nearly Rs 500 crore for the 12-month period ended June.
Industry experts and doctors say that the huge sales uptick in diabetes medicines is due to multiple reasons. "The diabetes market has witnessed an upward trend based on new launches and detection of cases, leading to a larger number of brands in the top 10 of the Indian pharmaceutical market,"
While the entry of a newer class of diabetes medicines (like gliptins) has contributed to the rise, there are certain external environmental factors which have also played a hand. Anti-infective therapy Augmentin, which was at one time the largest-selling drug, has slipped due to supply constraints faced by manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals.
“Medicines for treatment of diabetes have increasingly become largest selling drugs because of multiple factors. These include an increasing number of patients with diabetes, earlier diagnosis, people surviving longer with better treatment, better drugs currently available, and patients becoming more compliant with treatment.
"Moreover, some of these drugs are being used for various other indications as well - metformin for treatment of polycystic ovaries, obesity and insulin resistance, liraglutide for obesity, pioglitazone for fatty liver, etc."
Newer brands within the recent class Teneligliptin have entered the market too, including Tenglyn M (Zydus) and Tenepan (Panacea), while the category itself has registered massive growth due to its affordability.
"The anti-diabetic therapy is growing on account of movement from plains (single molecule) to combinations (increase in consumption of 2-3 drug combinations). Also, the emergence of DPP4 segment in the last few years has accelerated the growth momentum. “
