Patent News

Roche bags the first product patent in India

Our News Bureau - Mumbai

Swiss drug maker F Hoffmann La-Roche achieved a milestone by becoming the first pharmaceuticals company in India to receive a product patent under the new patent regime.

The Patents Office has granted a product patent to Roche for Pegasys, a new generation hepatitis therapy. The patent for Pegasys, which was applied under the Mailbox facility for post-1995 inventions is valid for 20 years from May 15, 1997. This necess-arily means that no other company will be allowed to launch a generic version of the drug in India. This development would now see more companies getting their technically complex products patented under the new patent rules.

Dr Girish Telang, Managing Director, Roche Scientific India says, “Pegasys is the result of more than a decade of Roche's pioneering research. This product patent approval marks a major landmark for Roche in India. I foresee that this development will usher in the next wave for the Indian pharmaceutical space by way of a flow of newer innovative molecules in the Indian market. It will be complemented by increased investments in R&D towards drug development efforts”.

Pegasys provides significant benefit over conventional combination interferon therapy in Hepatitis C patients of all genotypes. It provides hepatitis C patients with a treatment option, that not only yields better sustained response rates than standard interferon, but also reduces disruptions to daily life with a once-weekly injection.

The cost of treatment with Pegasys for a 24 weeks therapy is approximately Rs 2.5 lakh. It also includes the support, in form of diagnostic tests and Ribavirin. The price has not changed after the patent has been granted.