Dive Brief:
- In 2013, Merck sued Glenmark for selling Januvia and Janumet copycats in India.
- Both drugs contain the active ingredient sitagliptin.
- Merck has licensed the drugs to Sun Pharmaceuticals to sell in India.
Dive Insight:
The market for diabetes in India is large and growing. Approximately 65 million people have diabetes, and by 2030, experts predict that 100 million people will be living with this metabolic disease.
So it goes without saying that demand is high. Since 2008, Glenmark has been selling two sitagliptin-containing drugs, Zita and Zita-met, at roughly a 30% discount to the reference products.
But Merck finally has a positive decision from India's top court—a relatively rare victory in a country that often gives generics makers that step afoul of patent protections a free pass. Enforcement of this decision, however, is another matter.