Medicines

Alembic Pharmaceuticals gets nod for generic Parkinson's treatment tablets

Alembic Pharmaceuticals Ltd on Friday said it has received approval from the US health regulator for its generic version of Carbidopa, Levodopa and Entacapone tablets used in treatment of Parkinson's disease. The approval by the US Food & Drug Administration (USFDA) is for the Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) of Carbidopa, Levodopa and Entacapone tablets of strengths 12.5 mg/50 mg/200 mg; 18.75 mg/75 mg/200 mg; 25 mg/100 mg/200 mg; 31.25 mg/125 mg/200 mg; 37.5 mg/150 mg/200 mg; and 50 mg/200 mg/200 mg, Alembic Pharmaceuticals Ltd said in a regulatory filing. The approved ANDA is therapeutically equivalent to the reference listed drug product (RLD), Stalevo tablets of similar strengths of Orion Corporation, it added. Carbidopa, levodopa and entacapone tablets are indicated for the treatment of Parkinson's disease, the company said.

Zydus receives orphan drug status for Sickle Cell Disease medication

Zydus Lifesciences on Friday said the US health regulator has granted Orphan Drug Designation to Desidustat, a novel oral product medication for the treatment of Sickle Cell Disease. The US Food and Drugs Administration's (USFDA) grants orphan status to support development of medicines for the treatment of rare diseases that affect fewer than 2 lakh people in the US. "This Orphan Drug Designation from the USFDA underlines the urgent medical need to develop a therapy for sickle cell disease. We believe that Desidustat can address this unmet need," Zydus Lifesciences MD Sharvil Patel said in a statement. Therapeutic options for management of Sickle Cell Disease are currently limited. A Phase II, double blind, randomised, placebo controlled, parallel, multi-centre, proof-of-concept study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Desidustat oral tablet for treatment of SCD has been completed, and data will be published in a medical journal, the drug firm said. Orphan drug designation by

Ayush Ministry signs MoU with Zepto to enable online sale of medicines

The Ayush Ministry on Wednesday signed an MoU between its export promotion council and Zepto Limited to facilitate online access to Ayush medicines and wellness products across the country. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) aims to strengthen digital discovery while ensuring quality compliance and consumer trust in traditional healthcare products. Zepto is an Indian quick-commerce platform offering delivery of groceries and essentials in a short amount of time. Addressing the occasion through a video message, Union Ayush Minister Prataprao Jadhav said innovation-driven Indian startups are playing a critical role in improving last-mile access to trusted wellness products. He emphasised that partnerships with credible digital platforms such as Zepto demonstrate how technology can be responsibly leveraged at scale to connect India's rich AYUSH heritage with modern, transparent and convenient distribution channels nationwide. The minister further noted that the collaboration align

Sun Pharma receives regulatory approval to sell generic Wegovy in India

Sun Pharma said it will launch generic semaglutide in India after the patent expiry in March 2026, becoming the second domestic drugmaker to secure regulatory approval for the blockbuster drug

Govt bans sale, use of oral formulations of nimesulide for human use

The Union Health Ministry has prohibited manufacture and sale of oral nimesulide formulations above 100 mg for human use, citing liver toxicity risks and acting on ICMR and DTAB recommendations

India, Liberia sign MoU to boost cooperation on medicine quality standards

According to the Ministry of AYUSH, the pharmacopoeias are official compendia of quality standards of the drugs being imported, manufactured for sale, stocked or exhibited for sale in India

Sun Pharma launches blockbuster plaque psoriasis drug Ilumya in India

Ilumya, a novel biologic treatment that selectively inhibits IL-23, has already established itself as a blockbuster drug internationally, with presence across 35 countries

As anti-vaccine conferences rise, future of medicine seems to be in trouble

Vaccine decisions today go beyond personal risk-benefit - they carry cultural and political weight, often leading to judgement when outcomes don't go as expected

Sun Pharma Q2 net profit rises 2.5% to ₹3,118 crore on India, EM growth

Sun Pharma's Q2FY26 profit rose to Rs 3,118 crore as India, emerging markets, and rest of world drove growth; US revenues fell 4.1% despite strong gains in innovative medicines

Cough syrup deaths: NHRC sends notices to MP, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh

NHRC issues notices to MP, Rajasthan and UP, asks states to probe children's deaths from alleged use of contaminated cough syrups

From silica gel to smart sorbents: How pharma packaging is evolving

Loose silica gel packets are being replaced by built-in smart sorbents that block moisture, oxygen, and odour, boosting safety, stability and patient convenience

Know your risk: How to stay safe from serious medicine side-effects

From skin rashes to seizures, here's how to spot adverse drug reactions early and protect yourself with timely medical action

Is it safe to mix Ayurveda with modern medicine? Here's what doctors say

Mixing Ayurvedic remedies with prescription drugs may seem harmless, but it can cause serious side effects or reduce treatment efficacy unless done under medical guidance

No need to relabel existing medicine stock: FinMin on new GST rates

Finance Ministry clarified that medicines released before Sept 22 need not be recalled or relabelled under GST 2.0, with compliance ensured via revised price lists at retail level

Anti-obesity diabetes drugs receive WHO's essential medicine tag

WHO adds GLP-1 drugs for type 2 diabetes to its Essential Medicines List, as Indian pharma firms prepare to launch generics amid surging demand and patent expirations

CDSCO flags 4 drugs as spurious, 185 not of standard quality for June 2025

CDSCO has flagged four drugs as spurious and 185 others as not of standard quality for June 2025. The list includes antibiotics and heart disease medications. Investigations are underway

'AFMS looking at drone use to supply blood bags, medicines in hilly areas'

The Armed Forces Medical Services is exploring the use of drone technology to deliver blood bags, medicines and other medical supplies in hilly and hard-to-reach areas, Director General of AFMS, Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, has said. She also said the AFMS was responsible for the health requirements of all four astronauts currently part of the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station. Vice Admiral Sarin was speaking on Saturday on the sidelines of a commissioning ceremony for five medical cadets at the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) in Pune. She said the AFMS is integrating modern technologies like telemedicine, Artificial Intelligence (AI), point-of-care devices, and drones to strengthen healthcare delivery. We are looking at using drone technology for the supply of blood bags, medicines, and other medical equipment. In fact, we are hoping for a day when even medical evacuations can be carried out using drones, she said. The technology is currently being consid

Drugmakers may lose product licence if govt labs flag quality failures

The Health Ministry is working with states to allow immediate suspension of licences for drugs declared substandard by labs, following a key recommendation from Drugs Technical Advisory Board

Kashmik Formulation targets ₹100 crore revenue in FY26, eyes IPO

The company currently produces around 25 crore units a month and is expanding its ground and first-floor production facilities to meet rising demand

US FDA to fast-track drug reviews for firms backing national priorities

US regulators will begin offering faster reviews to new medicines that administration officials deem as promoting the health interests of Americans, under a new initiative announced Tuesday. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary said the agency will aim to review select drugs in one to two months. FDA's long-standing accelerated approval program generally issues decisions in six months for drugs that treat life-threatening diseases. Regular drug reviews take about 10 months. Since arriving at the FDA in April, Makary has repeatedly told FDA staff they need to challenge assumptions and rethink procedures. In a medical journal commentary published last week, Makary suggested the agency could conduct rapid or instant reviews," pointing to the truncated process used to authorize the first COVID-19 vaccines under Operation Warp Speed. For the new program, the FDA will issue a limited number of national priority vouchers to companies aligned with U.S. national priorities,