NEW DELHI: Poor patients will have easier access to quality medicines with the Indian Supreme Court rejecting Swiss firm Novartis’ patent plea for its cancer drug Glivec, according to domestic manufacturers.
Novartis, however, said: “This ruling is a setback for patients that will hinder medical progress for diseases without effective treatment options”.
Terming the judgment as a ‘landmark judgment’ in favor of poor patients, domestic drug manufacturer associations, including Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA) and Indian Drug Manufacturers’ Association (IDMA), hailed the apex court’s decision.
“The decision of the Supreme Court will come as a relief to patients suffering from these dreadful diseases as several Indian companies, including Cipla, Ranbaxy and Natco, can continue marketing imatinib at a fraction of the cost of the Novartis product,” IPA Secretary General D G Shah said in a statement.
Imatinib (Glivec) is on the National List of Essential Medicines and is an important drug in the treatment of several cancers such as certain blood and stomach cancers.
Shah further said: “This is a landmark judgment that will serve to set at rest the controversy that was raised regarding the scope of section 3(d) in the Patents Act, which is a crucial safeguard against the extension of patent monopolies of known drugs and the consequent delay in the availability of affordable generic versions.”
Expressing similar sentiments, IDMA Secretary-General Daara B Patel said the order was in favor of poor patients.
“It is a good judgment. It is in favor of the country’s poor patients and is in support of Indian generic companies.
Though I feel sorry for Novartis but I feel happy that rules of the country have prevailed and this will help the poor patients,” Patel added. Commenting on the development, Cipla Chairman Y K Hamied said the judgment in the Novartis case is a victory for patients both in India and around the world.
“We are pleased with the judgment which prevents the use of frivolous patents to deny access to medicines for patients,” he added.
Novartis, however, termed the judgment as a ‘setback for patients’.
“We brought this case because we strongly believe patents safeguard innovation and encourage medical progress, particularly for unmet medical needs. This ruling is a setback for patients that will hinder medical progress for diseases without effective treatment options,” Novartis India Ltd Vice- Chairman and Managing Director Ranjit Shahani said.
He further added: “Novartis has never been granted an original patent for Glivec in India. We strongly believe that original innovation should be recognized in patents to encourage investment in medical innovation especially for unmet medical needs.”-PTI
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