With Indian pharmaceutical company Glenmark recently launching a bio-similar of the diabetes medicine Liraglutide, experts analyse its impact
We have our own cheaper version of an injectable drug
for diabetes and obesity. The Indian pharmaceutical company Glenmark recently
launched a bio-similar of the diabetes medicine Liraglutide — one of the drugs
from the popular glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1R) that have
shown remarkable weight-loss properties in recent years.
While not as effective at weight-loss
as Semaglutide that has taken the world by storm, it is a very good therapy for
diabetes with studies suggesting rapid improvement in insulin sensitivity. Sold
under the brand name Lirafit, the drug by the Indian manufacturer is likely to
slash prices by 70 per cent.
How much does it cost to take the therapy?
Liraglutide is an injectable drug that needs to be
taken every day, with the medicine costing around Rs 10,000 a month. With the
price point of Rs 100 for the standard 1.2 mg dose, the cost is likely to come
down to Rs 3,000 a month, according to Dr Anoop Misra, Chairman of Fortis C-Doc
Hospital for Diabetes and Allied Sciences. Glenmark’s pricing is not only
lesser than the branded version, it is also cheaper than the competitor
Dulaglutide that costs around Rs 8,000 a month
Despite the price point, what
are the challenges for its use?
Despite being a good drug for controlling blood sugar
levels, Dr Misra says that the use of Liraglutide has gone down since the
introduction of Dulaglutide. “This is because many people prefer taking a
single injection over the weekend instead of taking a shot each day. This is
one of the biggest challenges of using Liraglutide,” he said.
How does Liraglutide work?
Liraglutide belongs to a class of medicines called
incretin mimetics that imitate the actions of gut hormones, improve the
function of beta cells of the pancreas that release insulin. They slow down the
emptying of the stomach, suppressing appetite and overeating.
How does it compare to the popular weight-loss drug Semaglutide?
Semaglutide has been shown to reduce weight by 15 per
cent in overweight or obese individuals in studies, with a third of the
participants losing up to 20 per cent of their body weight. The results are
close to what people achieve with bariatric surgeries. Dr V Mohan, Chairman, Dr
Mohan’s Diabetes Specialities Centre, Chennai,
says: “Liraglutide — and older GLP-1 receptor agonists such as Dulaglutide and
Exenatide — are similar when it comes to weight-loss and HbA1c control (three
month average blood glucose levels). However, Semaglutide and the other GLP-1
RAs that came after are more effective for weight-loss. Tirzepatide (sold as
Mounjaro) that acts on two targets, GLP-1 and Gastric Inhibitory Polypeptide
(GIP), is more effective than Semaglutide. Retatrutide, that is yet to become
commercially available, acts on three targets GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon and is
likely to be more effective.”
With Tirzepatide, trial participants lost 16 per cent
of their body weight on 5 mg, 21.4 per cent on 10 mg, and 22.5 per cent on 15mg
at 72 weeks. Almost 96 per cent of the people on the two higher doses of the
medicine achieved at least five per cent reduction in their body weight.
Now that the cheaper alternative is available, what will happen?
With drugs such as
Wegovy and Mounjaro soon to enter India, Dr Misra says there is likely to be
competition in the market. “But the convenience of the weekly injectable and
weight loss seen with the newer drugs will have to be factored in,” he adds.
No comments:
Post a Comment