NPPA exempts Meril's stent from price control for 5 years

The national pharmaceutical regulator NPPA has exempted a new coronary stent developed by Meril Life Sciences from price control for five years under a provision of the Drug Price Control Order 2013.

The company has got exemption for its product MeRes100TM BRS - Sirolimus eluting bioabsorbable vascular scaffold system from the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), Meril Life Sciences said in a statement.

The company said it will start commercial production of the stent in a couple of months.

After much deliberation, "the Authority decided that exemption may be granted to Meril Life Sciences Pvt Ltd under para 32 (ii) of DPCO 2013 for their coronary stents 'MeRes 100 - Sirolimus eluting bioabsorbable vascular scaffold system' as per the recommendation made by the multidisciplinary committee of experts," the NPPA said in minutes of its meeting.

The authority also directed the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) to ensure close safety monitoring of the coronary stents that have been exempted in public interest, as per the minutes of the meeting held on February 25, 2020.

The government had in 2017 had slashed the prices of life-saving coronary stents by up to 85 per cent.

Meril Life Sciences Corporate Strategy VP Sanjeev Bhatt told PTI: "The positive decision by NPPA confirming non-applicability of DPCO 2013 under Para 32 for MeRes100 BRS, made post an exhaustive multi-stakeholder review, demonstrates the commitment of the Indian Government to encourage not only 'Make in India', but also Research in India."