Afrezza has been launched in India by Cipla, the inhalable rapid-acting insulin in the Indian market. The launch is a much-welcome development, as India is a country that has growing cases of diabetes each year. Afrezza is manufactured by Connecticut-based biopharmaceutical company MannKind Corporation, the drug was initially introduced in the United States market around 2015. It has recently received regulatory approval from India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), and is now commercially available through Cipla in Indian Markets. According to reports, prices are expected to be around Rs 4000 to Rs 6000.
Afrezza is administered via inhalation and introduces a new mode of inhalation delivery, the patients can use one-time cartridges loaded into a small handheld inhaler. This process allows patients to breathe in the insulin directly, which enters the bloodstream via the lungs. It is beneficial for patients who are reluctant to use traditional subcutaneous injections or who struggle to keep up with regular insulin therapy. The dosage will be directed by the doctor.
Patients not adhering to treatment
India has a huge population living with diabetes, with estimates putting the number in the region of 10.1 crore, and 10 to 15 per cent require insulin therapy. According to market research, less than 40 percent of patients are on regular insulin treatment, which puts the adherence to treatment in the country at a pretty low level. Research suggests that around 50.48 lakh people are regular insulin users. This gap is greatly attributed to several factors that range from emotional and practical barriers to fear of injections and the difficult nature of traditional insulin programmes. Afrezza addresses these issues by bringing a patient-friendly alternative that could help in the management of blood sugar levels post-meals.
Achin Gupta, global chief operating officer at Cipla, said that they plan to roll out nationwide awareness programmes that will educate parents about the new drug and will bring them out of the stigma of using injections. They are offering structured programmes that will help patients to transition to the new drug and teach them to use inhalable insulin appropriately.
Inhalable insulin has been tried before
The introduction of Afrezza has also revived interest in inhaled insulin technology. It was earlier tried by Pfizer when they launched Exubera in 2006, however, it failed commercially due to its design, the delivery device was bulky, there were issues with insurance coverage and concerns about the lung health. However, with the advancement of technology, particularly with MannKind’s Technosphere insulin platform, the concerns have been addressed. The drug enables faster absorption of powdered insulin through the lungs compared to traditional injections.
The launch of Afrezza in India is an important event in diabetes management and offers a modern alternative for adults with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes as part of comprehensive glycaemic control strategies.
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