EMR a big jolt to local pharma firms: IDMA

IDMA said in a release: "This is a vital life saving drug for treatment of blood cancer. Its availability at fair price and adequate quantities is a matter of life and death for many victims of this deadly disease. Some of the Indian manufacturers have developed their own processes and have benn marketing it at one-tenth the international price."

The international price of the drug, according to the association, is around $ 27,000 per for a one year course requirement per patient against a genric price of around $2,700 for the same quantity. "It may lead to an interference in the production and distribution of the drug by the EMR holder. It may also lead to a disruption in the treatment of patients," IDMA said.

According to IDMA, Novartis AG had filed an application for patent for Glivec in some of the convention countries in May 1993 or earlier. "If this information is correct, then it is difficult to understand how the EMR was granted. As per Sec 24B (1) (a) of Patent Act 1970 an EMR is claimable only if the application is filed on or after January 1,1995.

Novartis had however said in a press conference that Novartis AG had filed application for EMR in India in 2002.