Ranbaxy, Cipla unveil malaria combo drugs

Malaria is emerging as the next battleground for drugmakers.
Cipla and Ranbaxy Laboratories both announced novel combination therapies to tackle the mosquito-borne scourge on Wednesday — World Malaria Day — with eyes on markets in India, Africa, South America and Southeast Asia.

The products — Ranbaxy’s Synriam and Cipla’s Meflian Plus — are combinations of existing molecules arterolane maleate +piperaquine phosphate (Ranbaxy’s drug) and artesunate + mefloquine (Cipla’s product), respectively.

Industry experts said the drugs come under the novel drug delivery systems, or NDDS, category. They are easier to administer, need lesser dosage and thus help improve patient compliance.

Indeed, the two drugs reduce dosage to one tablet per day for three days as against 2-4 tablets daily that the other drugs require.
Cipla’s drug has been introduced in partnership with the global research organisation Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi), with the latter doing the clinical trials.

YK Hamied, CMD, Cipla, said Meflian Plus was targeted at resistant cases of malaria and that they would look at countries like Myanmar, Bangladesh, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia, where incidences of malaria are high.

Cipla, said Hamied, accounted for roughly a quarter of world malaria drug sales and hoped to grow the share with its new product, though it also has 2-3 other malaria drugs lined up.
On its part, Ranbaxy’s drug has a synthetic source, unlike other existing anti-malaria drugs, which are based on artemesinin, a plant-based source.

“We would be doing trials in certain African markets and upon approval launch the product,” said Arun Sawhney, CEO and MD, Ranbaxy.

For Indian patients, the drugs would cost Rs 130 (Ranbaxy) and Rs 300 (Cipla) for a three-day course.

About 28 million cases and 38,000 deaths due to malaria were reported in 2010, especially in Southeast Asia, according to estimates by the World Health Organisation.

According to experts, though the drugs have tremendous potential, acceptance of any new product is dealt cautiously manner by the doctor community and only time can tell how well the products would do.

S Chatterjee, consultant, internal medicine at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, said physicians typically take a wait-and-watch approach to new products.

Analysts said though these products are a definite positive for their respective manufacturers, the gains would be limited.
“Drugs for malaria being the need of the hour is only one part of the story,” said an analyst from a brokerage. “These malarial drugs may not become as big as the other brands. Nonetheless, they will create ripples due to their export potential.”

Currently, Revital and Volini are the leading brands for Ranbaxy, contributing to about 13% of its domestic sales, while for Cipla, Asthalin and Seroflo are the leading brands, making up 8% of its domestic sales.