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Ahmedabad-based Cadila Pharmaceuticals Limited, a privately held pharma company, has launched the Mycidac-C, an affordable, unique and innovative drug for the treatment of lung cancer. The drug will be available in the Indian market by December 2013.
"Mycidac-C is an innovative research product for the patients suffering from Non Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). The drug has been approved for launch in India by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI). It targets Desmocolin-3, a novel target," the company said in a statement here.
It further added that there has been no significant innovation in management of squamous NSCLC since the introduction of platinum containing doublet in 1983. Besides affordability and other advantages, Mycidac-C has no systemic side effects during the treatment, Cadila Pharma claimed.
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As per the World Health Organisation (WHO) report, approximately 1.25 million people are diagnosed with lung cancer every year worldwide. Around 30% of them suffer from squamous NSCLC.
The company claimed that Mycidac-C can be administered easily by trained paramedics, thus further reducing the cost of hospitalisation associated with other cancer therapy.
Rajiv I Modi, chairman and managing director of Cadila Pharmaceuticals said, "It has taken us over a decade, a huge investment and a dedicated research and development team to develop this unique drug. We expect it to be available in the Indian market by December 2013. Thereafter, we will introduce it in other regions like SAARC countries and European markets over the next five years."
With a turnover of Rs 1200 crore, Cadila Pharm is one of the largest privately held pharmaceutical companies in India. It sells products in over 50 countries around the world and caters to over 45 therapeutic areas that include cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, analgesics, haematinics, anti-infectives and antibiotics, respiratory agents, anti-diabetics and immunologicals.
