7 Indian firms in race, experts eye cheaper Keytruda version in 2 years
Indian Express·3h ago·Hope
What Happened
Seven Indian pharmaceutical companies are developing generic versions of Merck's cancer drug Keytruda, with availability expected within two years after patent expiration in June 2028. Each 200mg dose currently costs over Rs 3 lakh. Biosimilars could reduce prices by up to 70%. Companies including Sun, Hetero, and Intas are conducting trials. The government launched Bio Pharma SHAKTI, a Rs 10,000-crore scheme supporting biosimilar development for cancer and autoimmune drugs.
Key Entities
Keytruda (pembrolizumab)Merck & CoSeven Indian manufacturersSun PharmaceuticalHeteroIntasBioconCDSCOBio Pharma SHAKTIJune 2028 patent expiry