Abbott decides to withdraw 2 stent types from India

Healthcare major Abbott has decided to withdraw two types of stents from the Indian market in the wake of drug price regulator National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority's (NPPA's) move to cap the prices.

The company has applied to the NPPA seeking to withdraw two kinds of stents.

These are Alpine drug-eluting stent and Absorb dissolving stent.

An Abbott spokesperson said that following the NPPA's price ceiling decision, it "examined and re-examined" whether there is a sustainable way to make available two of the latest stent technologies in India.

The company took into consideration Alpine drug-eluting and the Absorb dissolving stents' higher manufacturing costs and other associated costs.

"We have determined it is not sustainable, and we have applied to the NPPA to withdraw these two stents," the spokesperson told PTI in an e-mailed statement.

The company said that presently, only a very small percentage of patients in India receive Alpine and Absorb stents.

"While we are aligned with the government's intent for broad access to care, we're disappointed that the NPPA concluded there is no differentiation in coronary stent technology," the company noted.

According to Abbott, it would continue to make available all other XIENCE coronary stent products within the ceiling price set by the NPPA.

"Alpine and Absorb will continue to remain available while the government reviews our application. There is no shortage of Abbott stents," it added.