K'taka DC orders to stop manufacture, sale of sibutramine in state following DCGI note
Tuesday, November 23, 2010 08:00 IST
Karnataka drugs control department has ordered to stop the production and sales of sibutramine, R-sibutramine and their formulations in the state. The orders were issued last week following a note from the Drugs Controller General of India.
Dr BR Jagashetty, Karnataka Drugs Controller said,” we already intimated the pharma companies and the pharmacy trade outlets to refrain from production and sale of this drug sibutramine for anti obesity”.
In Karnataka, a leading player which is in engaged in the production of sibutramine is Micro Labs. The company markets the formulation a mono-therapy for weight management by its diabetic division. “We have been marketing this product for the last 4-5 years. Now following the order we have made arrangements to stop production and sales”, G Jayraj, senior, vice president, Micro Labs told Pharmabiz.
According to medical experts, sibutramine does not contain amphetamine. The drug was known to induce satiety because of its primary and secondary 'amine metabolites'. It was prescribed for weight loss and maintenance of weight loss with reduced calorie diet,
In India around 2.2 crore people suffer from obesity. The anti-obesity market in India is valued at Rs.75 crore. Leading players in the country include Sun Pharma, Cadila, Cipla, Glenmark, Torrent, Dr Reddy's, Ranbaxy and Intas.
Pharmabiz had reported earlier that change in lifestyle, inability to lose weight in spite of best efforts in diet and exercise has increased patients demand for an alternative. Surgery is prescribed for those who are morbidly obese and it provides long term weight loss. Post surgery, patients have been able to do away with most of the diabetes and hypertensive medications as well as avoid joint replacement surgeries after the weight loss. A study has indicated that 95 per cent of patients no longer needed medications for diabetes, 92 per cent stopped drugs for hypertension and 82 per cent patients found relief from joint pain.
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