Sweet shake-up: Price relief for diabetes patients as drugs go off patent

The Rs 14,000-crore diabetes drug market in the country is witnessing a churn with many patents reaching their expiry.  For patients, that’s good news as far as medicine price is concerned. The diabetes segment has been growing faster than the country’s overall drug market. 

At least two key drugs in the gliptin category have already gone off patent and cheaper variants are crowding the market. Also, several patent expiries are round the corner for the newest category of drugs —SGLT-2 inhibitors or gliflozins (see chart). Last month, Novartis’ novel drug vildagliptin lost its patent, following which over 20 generics have entered