Novartis India falls 3% on kidney transplant drug shortage

Shares of Novartis India Limited declined over 3 percent to Rs 668 in early trade on October 27 after the pharma company announced that it is currently facing a shortage of its immunosuppressant drug ‘Simulect 20 mg’ in India.

“This is to inform that Novartis India Limited is currently facing a shortage of one of its products — ‘Simulect 20 mg”, Novartis said in an exchange filing on October 26. The company said it is putting its best efforts to mitigate the supply issue on a sustainable basis.

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Simulect is an intravenous prescription drug, specifically a Basiliximab injection, commonly administered to kidney transplant patients. Each vial of this Novartis medication is priced between Rs 67,500 and Rs 68,000. It is employed in transplant patients to prevent the rejection of the newly transplanted organ.

Last month, Novartis India’s managing director said that the company has a pipeline of new compounds and therapies towards the treatment of cancer and is investing 20 percent of its revenue towards its research.

“We are trying to look at cancer care models that can be replicated with state governments. Screening is the only way one can address cancer. We are trying to bend the curve of life, extend life for cancer patients, ” Novartis’ Amitabh Dube said.

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