The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has notified the retail prices of 41 new drug formulations, with nearly 70% of them being anti-diabetic drugs. This decision follows the latest NPPA meeting chaired by P. Krishnamurthy and is set to impact a wide range of pharmaceutical companies and consumers across India.

Key highlights

Major focus on anti-diabetics

• 18 combinations of empagliflozin post its March 2025 patent expiry approved for pricing.

• Retail prices also set for 11 sitagliptin-based combinations, whose patent expired in July 2022.

• Companies involved include Zydus, Glenmark, Dr. Reddy's, Emcure, Alkem, Cadila, Torrent, and others.

Broader therapeutic categories covered

• Cholesterol-lowering drugs: Atorvastatin + Ezetimibe tablets from Ajanta and Zydus.

• Antibiotics: Ceftriaxone + Sulbactam + Disodium Edetate from Glenmark.

• Nutritional supplements: Iron, folic acid, and cyanocobalamin syrup from Mankind Prime Labs.

New approvals for insomnia and cold treatments

• Melatonin and Zolpidem tablets (for insomnia) from IPCA Labs.

• Phenylephrine + Chlorpheniramine syrup (for common cold) from Apex Labs.

• Polmacoxib + Paracetamol (for pain relief) from Zuventus Healthcare.

Regulatory framework and pricing methodology

• New drugs defined under Para 2(1)(u) of DPCO, 2013 as modified dosages or combinations listed under NLEM.

• Retail pricing determined as per Para 5 and 15 of DPCO, 2013 guidelines on applications submitted by manufacturers.

The pricing update by NPPA is a significant step toward ensuring affordability of critical chronic care drugs especially anti-diabetics as they transition to off-patent status. With contributions from major Indian pharma players, the move is expected to increase accessibility to essential medicines for millions of patients.