India’s National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has published revised maximum retail prices (MRPs) for 543 cancer drug brands effective Nov. 9, under a margin cap aimed at lowering patient costs.
The Oct. 28 list reflects company price information received through Oct. 27, the Department of Pharmaceuticals said. It may be expanded as manufacturers submit additional prices. The 543 count is for brands with revised MRPs; a separate Oct. 17 order applies to 137 non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines. EconoTimes previously reported on the margin cap for those 137 medicines.
Under the Oct. 17 directive, the NPPA sets a 30% ceiling on trade margins. Its pricing formula starts with the March 2026 amount charged to a stockist or distributor and adds applicable goods and services tax. Manufacturers whose listed MRPs exceed the formula’s ceiling must reduce them; those already below it must keep their lower prices, the NPPA order says.
The list puts Anarzole, a 1 mg anastrozole tablet, at ₹73 for a pack of 10, compared with ₹695.76 previously. Azacytin, a 100 mg azacitidine injection, is listed at ₹1,495.04, down from ₹6,337. Abbott Healthcare’s BEVACIZAB, a 100 mg/4 ml bevacizumab injection, is priced at ₹5,930.13 per 4 ml vial, compared with ₹21,767.70.
Calculated from the entries, Anarzole’s price is about 89.5% lower. On Oct. 17, the department had projected reductions of up to 70%; its later release did not explain the larger Anarzole cut. The covered medicines include immunotherapies used for more than 20 cancer types, along with denosumab, pegfilgrastim and bevacizumab.
The government says the policy aims to curb excessive distribution and retail margins while preserving legitimate manufacturer revenue and preventing shortages. It followed recommendations from an expert committee under the Directorate General of Health Services. The NPPA order directs manufacturers to maintain production levels, and state drug controllers will monitor compliance.
The measure extends a 2019 pilot that capped margins on 42 anti-cancer medicines. The government said MRPs for 526 brands fell after that exercise, with reductions reaching 90%. Hospitals and retailers are to apply the revised prices from Nov. 9, the Department of Pharmaceuticals said.
