New Delhi: The Supreme Court's denial of a patent to Novartis for its cancer drug Glivec in India is a blow to the pharmaceutical company, but a big relief for the patients. The generic cancer drug costs around Rs 10,000 for a monthly dosage, which is a fall of almost 92 per cent from Glivec's price that was Rs 1.2 lakh for a monthly dosage.
While activists and patients welcomed the news, Novartis's shares fell by over 4 per cent following the Supreme Court's verdict. The verdict is also a blow to pharmaceutical companies that modified and extended the patent period of blockbuster drugs.
The Supreme Court dismissed Novartis's plea for patent for its anti-cancer drug, observing that Glivec failed the test of innovation under Patent Act and repetitive patent was not permissible.
"Novartis claimed that Glivec is more stable, more soluble, but the Supreme Court said that that is not a definition of a new novelty product and dismissed its plea," said Pratibha Singh, a lawyer.
Novartis considers Glivec as its major medical breakthroughs of the 20th century, which has been replicated with minor process adjustments in India. The drug is used to treat gastrointestinal cancers and leukaemia.
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