Huge relief for cardio-diabetic patients as three key drugs go off patent

The prices have already dropped by almost 80% in most cases.

Indian cardio-diabetic patients are in for a huge relief as prices of three key diabetes and heart ailment-related drugs have gone off patent this year and home-grown companies have rushed to fill the market with cheaper generic variants of the innovator drugs. 

The prices have already dropped by almost 80 per cent in most cases. The good news is that more diabetes drugs are set to go off patent in the next two to four years, bringing relief to India’s 73-million diabetics. 

Swiss multinational Novartis’ Galvus (Vildagliptin) went off patent in December. From Rs 20-25 per dose (a patient needs