Exjade in India

Do any one of you have any updates on the availability of Exjade in India?

as far as I know, exjade is not available in India yet. However, L1 is avaialble in india and many patients have used it successfully to reduce their iron overload under their doctor's guidence. however, it does require weekly cbc to monitor for side effects. I guess this is much better than having long term side effects of iron overload.

L1 does need regular monitoring, as does Exjade. These drugs should only be taken under a doctor's supervision. There have been at least 8 known deaths associated with exjade. This resulted in a change in the recommendations regarding monitoring. Creatinine levels need to be monitored frequently and patients must be taken off exjade if the levels get high as the result can be kidney failure and death. All the patients who died had a prior history of health problems, but proper monitoring may have saved their lives. White cell counts need to be watched with both drugs.

Exjade has been delayed in India and I believe the lawsuits Novartis has filed have been responsible for this. Novartis is concerned that Indian companies will copy Exjade once it is released in India, as Cipla has done with L1. My sympathies to the mighty Novartis, but there are international agreements that DO permit countries to manufacture their own versions of life-saving drugs. So far, Indian courts have sided with the needs of patients and we can hope they continue to take this pro-patient attitude. There are many good people working for Novartis to develop these drugs and get them to patients, but unfortunately, like any multinational corporation, these are not the same people that make the financial decisions.

Hi All,

In fact I wanted to post this question of Exjade launch in India. Being new on the site to day could not figure out how to post a querry.

While, my daughter milan had BT on this Monday at Chandigarh(North India), I got the good news that Exjade is being scheduled to be launched In Mumbai (India) this March 2008 by Dr M.B.Aggarwal at Bombay Hospital. It will be in the doses of 100 and 400. Details are awaited, shall appreciate if some more light is put on this from folks from Mumbai on enquiry with Dr. MBA.

Best regards.

Amrit Sembhi

Hello Amrit,

Welcome to the site. You will find a lot of information which will help you give better treatment for your child.

Unofficial reports say Exjade(Anusara in India) will be approximately Rs. 140 for 400 mg. This i think would still be cheaper than Desferal and a little costlier than Kelfer (L1), but similar to Kelfer the price would hopefully come down

Hi Narender,

Thanks for your response and nice words!

Information is plenty and I am finding it very useful.

Do keep us updated on the exact launch date. I apprehend it doesnot turn out like last year, when it was announced for 5th August and was cancelled at the last moment.

Best Regards.

Amrit

This link says Asunra is launched on 31st March 2008 (Today)
http://news.webindia123.com/news/Articles/India/20080330/920831.html

Another link:- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Pill_to_spare_thalassaemics_daily_jab/articleshow/2899893.cms

Seems like it finally is coming to India. With caution, I think those eagerly waiting for Exjade (Asunra) thals should be happy. I think as mentioned many times in other threads, those with kidney issues should discuss with doctor's before starting this pill.

Also, the price seems a little cheaper than desferal

Asunra is cheaper, selling at Rs 4,000 for every 30 tablets or Rs 133 a tablet

I recently posted the contact information for those in India who wish to find out about the Exjade release. As Narendra reminded, please do not take Exjade except under regular supervision by a doctor. Patients with prior kidney or liver disease must be very closely monitored.


We expect Tab.Asunra ( globally known as Exjade) will
begin to be available in the India during the second
quarter of 2008
 
Please consult your physician in the first week of
April
 
Regards.   
   D. Mohan
Product Manager
 
Novartis India Limited
Sandoz House, 7th floor
Shivsagar Estate
Dr. Annie Besant Road
India
Phone: +91 22 24988888
Cell: ++ 91 9821777242
Email : mohan.devadiga@novartis.com

Asunra (Exjade) has been approved for ages 2 and up in India.


I would also like to remind anyone using Exjade to not use anything metal to mix it in or with. Use a plastic or wood spoon to stir it.

Seems like Cipla has it's version of Exjade(Asunra)

As Andy mentioned in the post above... and is highlighted in the article, those with liver and kidney should take the drug under doctor's supervision

From:- http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/04/01/stories/2008040150910200.htm

Cipla bringing in Novartis’ iron-overload drug

Mumbai, March 31 Cipla is set to sell its generic version of Deferasirox, a once-a-day oral iron chelator used to treat iron overload that occurs due to blood transfusions. Beneficial to patients with conditions such as thalassemia, the once-daily format of the drug ensures better compliance.

But the drug comes from the Novartis stable, and is internationally sold under the Exjade brand name. Though Novartis does not at present sell its Deferasirox (Exjade) in India, a company spokesperson told Business Line that Novartis was planning to launch Defarasirox in the second quarter of 2008.

Cipla’s version of Deferasirox will be sold locally under the brand name Desirox.

Prices and patents The drug, available as tablets, will cost the consumer about Rs 1,000 a month. It will be sold locally at a fraction of the price at which it is sold internationally, said Mr Amar Lulla, Cipla’s Chief Executive Officer.

Novartis points out that it has applied for patent protection on Defarasirox formulation in India, which is under review by the Indian Patent Office. Globally, the drug was first approved in the US in November 2005. The price varies internationally and depends on dosage and weight of the patient.

“The price is, however, comparable with the total costs of treatment with deferoxamine when drug and associated drug delivery costs are considered,” the official added.

And with the originator, Novartis, also planning to bring its medicine into the country, this drug too could witness patent-related litigation, a pharma analyst observed.

Side-effects
Side-effects associated with the drug include concerns of liver/kidney toxicity. But Mr Lulla pointed out that the benefits of the drug outweigh its risks. The labelling would be similar to other medicines in the segment, he clarified.

And since the medicine is an already tested drug, Cipla would now undertake post-marketing surveillance on the medicine, he said.

The drug would be sold only on prescription, through specialists like haematologists and paediatricians who treat thalassemic children, a Cipla official familiar with the drug said. There are few medicines in this segment, he said, adding that Cipla has been in this space for about 12 years, since its launch of Kelfer (deferiprone) in 1995.

Thalassemia is a genetic disorder set apart by the inability of the individual to produce normal haemoglobin. Every year approximately 100,000 children with Thalassemia Major are born worldwide, of which 10,000 are born in India, Cipla said. It is estimated that there are about 65,000-67,000 beta-thalassemia patients in the country, with around 9,000-10,000 cases being added every year, it added.

A few ethnic groups, such as Sindhis, Gujarathis, Punjabis, Jains and Marwadis, are considered high-risk communities for this disease, the company said.

Thalassemic children are anaemic and require regular blood transfusions. And though blood transfusions help extend life, complications like excess iron deposition in the body arise. This needs to be removed to prevent it from being deposited in vital organs such as the heart, liver and pancreas. About 50 per cent of thalassemics die because of cardiac complications, making it necessary to give drugs that remove iron (iron chelators) to these patients, the Cipla note explained.

That's great news for Indians! That's about $25 per month. Once again Cipla puts people before profits. With life-saving medicines, that's how it should be.

 

That's indeed a great new.

ZAINI.

Thals in India, it's time to celebrate 

Exjade aka Asunra is officially launched in India. A preformatted prescription is available with leading hematologists. I just got the prescription yesterday for 400 mg tablets. I had to show my complete blood profile to my hemato Dr Ashish Dixit at Manipal Hospital. The form has to be dropped at Novartis and they will inform us when to collect our prescrips 

I will be getting it by this month end.

No more pokies

That is indeed a great news.

I'll have to tell my center about this and see what the cost Novartis has offered for Asunra.

Namitha,

Does Asunra cost the same as the one Cipla is offering (Rs.1000 for a month)?

In an earlier post, Narendra stated

Exjade(Anusara in India) will be approximately Rs. 140 for 400 mg.

If this is the case, Cipla will be producing it for much less. For example, a dose of 1200 mg/day (which is a low dose for most people), would cost Rs. 420 daily or Rs. 12,600 for 30 days, compared to Rs. 1000 for one month from Cipla. This is similar to what we have seen with Kelfer being sold far below the cost of Ferriprox. Cipla is once again doing the right thing for patients. Novartis can pretend all they like but obviously, introducing Asunra at a much lower price than what is charged for Exjade, is not necessarily the altruistic deed it is portrayed as, but rather an attempt to get a piece of the market before Cipla introduces their low price version. Perhaps Cipla and the Indian government are a bit ahead in terms of humanity. You really have to wonder about those who blindly accept capitalistic ideas about the costs of life-saving (life-giving) drugs. Is it really morally acceptable to be making tons of money off of desperate patients? I think both companies have given their answer. And George Bush, please stick your stupid notion that the market should determine the price of medicines, where it belongs. The drug companies may have been the biggest donors to your campaigns but real people deserve better than some distorted bull about the free market.