Cipla, today, announced the launch of the first biosimilar of Etanercept in India; under the brand name 'Etacept'. The introduction of Etacept also signals Cipla's entry into the biologic segment offering an option to the patients suffering from rheumatic disorders at a lower cost. Etacept, used in the treatment of rheumatic disorders, is manufactured by a China-based company Shanghai CP Guojian Pharmaceutical and will be marketed by Cipla in India.

Etacept is available as a lyophilized powder to be given by subcutaneous injection. It is available across the country at Rs. 6,150/- and the recommended dose for adults is 25mg twice weekly by subcutaneous injection. Commenting on the launch of Etacept, Dr. Jaideep Gogtay, Medical Director, Cipla said, "The higher cost of biologics has been a major hindrance, limiting its affordability and accessibility to millions of patients. We believe that introducing Etacept at a lower cost (30% lesser as compared to the innovator) will enable access of this drug to a greater number of patients in India. This can be enhanced further if we consider the results of a recent study that showed in patients who were successfully treated with Etanercept for 6 months, a 50% reduced dose worked just as well as continuing the current dose."

Rheumatic Disorders are chronic inflammatory disorders affecting the joints, characterized by pain, redness, swelling and loss of function in several joints. It can lead to joint damage and deformities. If left undiagnosed and untreated, this could lead to permanent disability and at times could lead to mortality. However, rheumatic disorders can be controlled by early diagnosis and treatment.Currently there are DMARDs (Disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs) which are considered to be the first line of treatment for rheumatic disorders. However, approximately 40% of the patients are not controlled on these drugs. In such cases, biologics like Etanercept play a significant role in controlling the disease activity and make a positive difference in the lives of these patients.

ETACEPT contains Etanercept, a biologic produced by recombinant DNA technology. Etacept (Etanercept) binds to TNF-α, a cytokine that plays a very important role in the inflammation and joint damage in rheumatic disorders. It helps in modifying the course of the disease and prevents further damage to the joints. Etacept (Etanercept) is approved in the management of rheumatic disorders like rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, juvenile idiopathic rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis.
Since its launch in 2006 in China by Shanghai CP Guojian Pharmaceutical over 50,000 patients have been treated with Etanercept. Clinical efficacy and the safety of the drug have also been well established in Indian patients.

Cipla's state-of-the-art R&D centre has given the country and the world many firsts. This includes the evolutionary AIDS cocktail for less than a dollar a day. The company has over 34 manufacturing facilities across India, and manufactures 2,000+ products in 65 therapeutic categories.
With a turnover of over US $ 1.4 billion, Cipla serves doctors and patients in over 170 countries.