Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd’s shares were up 0.32 per cent after the company launched Lirafit, the first biosimilar of the anti-diabetic drug Liraglutide in India. The drug, approved by the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), is priced at approximately ₹100 for a standard daily dose of 1.2 mg, marking a reduction in the cost of therapy by around 70 per cent.
Liraglutide, a glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA), is recognized for its efficacy in improving glycemic control in adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, particularly those with co-morbidities like atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and obesity.
The company reported that clinical trials conducted on Indian adult patients over a 24-week period demonstrated Lirafit to be effective, safe, and well-tolerated. The trials also established non-inferior efficacy and a safety profile comparable to the reference Liraglutide. The company said that lirafit offers additional benefits, including the reduction of glycemic parameters, weight reduction, and cardiovascular safety, aligning with the positive outcomes observed in global studies on Liraglutide.
The shares were up 0.32 per cent to ₹891 at 11 am on the BSE.