Roche has announced the launch of Evrysdi (risdiplam), the first and only approved treatment in India for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) patients.

Evrysdi was first approved by the US FDA in August 2020 and is available in India within 11 months of US approval. Since its launch, over 4,000 SMA patients across 50+ countries have benefitted from Evrysdi.

Evrysdi is administered daily at home orally (it is supplied as a powder which is constituted into a liquid solution and taken once daily by mouth or feeding tube if required) and is designed to treat SMA by increasing production of the Survival Motor Neuron (SMN) protein. It is approved for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) in adults and children 2 months of age and older.

Evrysdi was approved by Indian health authorities after reviewing its efficacy and safety data from three global clinical studies designed to represent a broad spectrum of people living with SMA. 

V Simpson Emmanuel, CEO and MD, Roche Pharma India, says, "The launch of Evrysdi in India is a fine example of Roche living its purpose of 'Doing now what patients need next'. This also marks our foray into rare disease treatment in India."

Roche has announced its Patient Support Programme (PSP) for Evrysdi. In the first two years of treatment, Roche provides three bottles free for every two bottles bought by the patient and from the third year onwards, Roche provides two bottles free for every one bottle bought by the patient. Roche will provide free home delivery of Evrysdi to every patient following consent from the patient/ caregiver and their HCPs.