The GST Council has made a landmark move — 27 life-saving drugs will now attract 0% GST (down from 12%).
These drugs are used in the treatment of rare diseases, cancers, and genetic disorders where affordability has always been a challenge.
Drugs, Companies, Indian Exposure & Therapy Area
| # | Drug | Global Manufacturer | India Listed Pharma Exposure (Company + NSE/BSE Ticker) | Primary Ailment Treated | Indian Biosimilar / API / Therapy-Area Plays |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Onasemnogene abeparvovec (Zolgensma) | Novartis Gene Therapies (Novartis) | Novartis India Ltd (NSE: NOVARTIND, BSE: 500672) | Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) | No Indian biosimilar yet; Biocon & Dr. Reddy’s exploring gene therapy platforms long-term |
| 2 | Asciminib (Scemblix) | Novartis | Novartis India Ltd (NSE: NOVARTIND) | Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) | Sun Pharma, Dr. Reddy’s, Natco → strong oncology generics/biosimilar portfolios in CML (e.g., imatinib, nilotinib) |
| 3 | Mepolizumab (Nucala) | GSK | GlaxoSmithKline Pharma Ltd (NSE: GLAXO) | Severe eosinophilic asthma, EGPA, HES, CRSwNP | Cipla, Lupin, Sun have asthma/respiratory biologics & inhalation generics (not mepolizumab directly) |
| 4 | Pegylated liposomal irinotecan (Onivyde) | Ipsen/Servier | None (global import) | Metastatic pancreatic cancer | Dr. Reddy’s, Sun, Natco produce irinotecan generics (non-liposomal); Liposomal versions niche |
| 5 | Daratumumab (Darzalex) | Janssen (J&J) | None | Multiple myeloma | Biocon (in collaboration with Viatris) developing multiple myeloma biologics; Natco, Dr. Reddy’s in oncology generics |
| 6 | Daratumumab SC (Darzalex Faspro) | Janssen | None | Multiple myeloma (SC) | Same as above |
| 7 | Teclistamab (Tecvayli) | Janssen | None | Relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma | Biocon working on bispecific antibody R&D (very early) |
| 8 | Amivantamab (Rybrevant) | Janssen | None | NSCLC (EGFR exon-20) | Sun, Natco, Dr. Reddy’s → oncology NSCLC generics (osimertinib, gefitinib) |
| 9 | Alectinib (Alecensa) | Roche | None | ALK+ NSCLC | Indian cos. make ALK inhibitor generics (crizotinib, ceritinib) |
| 10 | Risdiplam (Evrysdi) | Roche | None | Spinal muscular atrophy | No Indian SMA biologic yet |
| 11 | Obinutuzumab (Gazyva) | Roche | None | CLL, follicular lymphoma | Indian players in rituximab (Biocon, Dr. Reddy’s, Intas), same therapy class |
| 12 | Polatuzumab vedotin (Polivy) | Roche | None | DLBCL | Indian cos. not in antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) yet, but Biocon working on ADCs research |
| 13 | Entrectinib (Rozlytrek) | Roche | None | NTRK fusion cancers, ROS1 NSCLC | Indian cos. in oncology generics but no NTRK fusion targeted therapy yet |
| 14 | Atezolizumab (Tecentriq) | Roche | None | NSCLC, urothelial, TNBC | Indian cos. (Biocon, Dr. Reddy’s) in checkpoint inhibitor research; no atezolizumab biosimilar yet |
| 15 | Spesolimab (Spevigo) | Boehringer Ingelheim | None | Generalised pustular psoriasis | Sun Pharma & Dr. Reddy’s strong in dermatology biologics; no spesolimab biosimilar yet |
| 16 | Velaglucerase alfa (VPRIV) | Takeda (ex-Shire) | None | Gaucher disease | Rare disease market → no Indian biosimilar yet |
| 17 | Agalsidase alfa (Replagal) | Takeda | None | Fabry disease | None |
| 18 | Rurioctocog alfa pegol (Adynovate) | Takeda | None | Hemophilia A | Indian cos. in factor VIII plasma-derived; biosimilar PEGylated forms not yet |
| 19 | Idursulfase (Elaprase) | Takeda | None | Hunter syndrome (MPS II) | None |
| 20 | Alglucosidase alfa (Myozyme) | Sanofi | Sanofi India Ltd (NSE: SANOFI, BSE: 500674) | Pompe disease | No Indian biosimilar; Biocon has rare-disease biologics R&D |
| 21 | Laronidase (Aldurazyme) | BioMarin + Sanofi | Sanofi India Ltd | MPS I | None |
| 22 | Olipudase alfa (Xenpozyme) | Sanofi | Sanofi India Ltd | Niemann-Pick A/B (ASMD) | None |
| 23 | Tepotinib (Tepmetko) | Merck KGaA | None (Merck India’s listed arm now P&G Health → consumer focus) | MET exon-14 skipping NSCLC | Dr. Reddy’s, Natco in MET inhibitor generics (capmatinib-like R&D) |
| 24 | Avelumab (Bavencio) | Merck KGaA + Pfizer | Pfizer Ltd (NSE: PFIZER, BSE: 500680) | Merkel cell carcinoma, urothelial carcinoma, RCC | Biocon, Dr. Reddy’s active in immuno-oncology generics/biosimilars |
| 25 | Emicizumab (Hemlibra) | Roche | None | Hemophilia A prophylaxis | Emcure & Intas active in hemophilia factor biosimilars, no emicizumab yet |
| 26 | Belumosudil (Rezurock) | Kadmon (Sanofi) | Sanofi India Ltd | Chronic GVHD | None |
| 27 | Miglustat (Zavesca) | Actelion (J&J) | None | Gaucher, Niemann-Pick C | Sun, Cipla, Dr. Reddy’s → rare storage disease generics R&D, but not miglustat |
- Many of these drugs are imported by MNC pharma companies (Novartis, Roche, Sanofi, Pfizer, GSK).
- Indian listed exposure is limited — Novartis India, Sanofi India, Pfizer India, GSK Pharma — but Indian generics/biosimilar players (Biocon, Dr. Reddy’s, Sun, Cipla, Natco) operate in the same therapy areas.
- This policy shift could also drive greater demand visibility for future biosimilars made in India.
What do you think? Will this help push India towards faster approvals and local manufacturing of such critical therapies?
