Cloxacillin drug prices may fall

NEW DELHI: Leading antibiotic brands based on cloxacillin sodium in sterile form are expected to cost less by Independence Day, following a ruling by the drug price regulator last week that reduced its price by 9.73%.

Popular drugs that may become cheaper include Ranbaxy���s Suprimox, Cipla���s Novaclox, Ipca Laboratories��� Imox-clo and Unichem���s Ampoxin as they contain this antibiotic bulk drug as a single ingredient or in a combination with other medicines.

���The price fixation is based on the cost-price study by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) in accordance with the provisions of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 1995,��� an official with NPPA said on the condition of anonymity.

Bulk drugs are active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) used in the manufacturing and processing of medicines and formulations. According to NPPA guidelines, the new prices should become effective within 15 days from the date of notification of the revised price.

NPPA has reduced the price of cloxacillin sodium in sterile form to Rs 1,707 per kg from Rs 1,891 per kg, exclusive of excise duty and local taxes. The price of this bulk drug was last revised on March 20, 2008, following a reduction in Customs duty, the official said. In addition, the drug regulator has increased the price of bulk drug cloxacillin in oral form by 4.68%.