<div><em>The price of Hetero's biosimilar version, which should be much lesser than the branded one, was not disclosed, says<strong> C H Unnikrishnan</strong></em><br><br>Hyderabad-based drug maker Hetero group has launched its biosimilar of blood cancer drug rituximab in India. This biological drug originally developed by Swiss-drug maker F Holfmann La Roche, is used for treating non-Hodgkin lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. Hetero's launch of this biosimilar (equivalent to generic copy chemistry based drugs) will help increasing access of this costly cancer medicine to Indian patients.</div><div> </div><div>A normal treatment course of rituximab is 1000 mg given intra venus over about 4 hours, with a second 1000 mg dose administered 2 weeks later. The average cost of this biological medicine (the branded version) for a 10mg/ml 10ml vial in the US is $582.19. Therefore, the medication cost for a two dose course of therapy at 1,000 mg per course would typically be $11,643.80. The price of Hetero's biosimilar version, which should be much lesser than the branded one, was not disclosed. </div><div> </div><div>Hetero, one of the leading generic pharmaceutical companies in India and a leading producer of anti-retroviral drugs for HIV/AIDS treatment in the world, has introduced this low cost version of rituximab in Indi a under the brand name Maball. Hetero 's marketing and distribution arm Hetero Healthcare Ltd will sell this drug in the domestic market.</div><div> </div><div> “The launch of MABALL strengthens Hetero’s position in the Biosimilar market, and has enabled the company to join select biotech companies with the capability to develop, manufacture and commercialize complex monoclonal antibodies, " said Hetero group chairman and managing director Bandi Parthasaradhi Reddy on Monday.</div><div> </div><div>“Biosimilars is one of the key strategic business areas for Hetero and we have invested in biosimilars and will introduce more such biosimilar drugs in the future," he added. </div><div> </div><div>"We also have plans to introduce affordable biosimilar rituximab into key markets outside India through our partners,” he said.</div>
