Wockhardt Founder Seeks GST Exemption on India-Discovered Antibiotics to Enhance Affordability

At an event to celebrate the scientific completion of the first indigenously developed antibiotic - Nafithromycin - against multi-drug resistant (MDR) isolates, Khorakiwala pointed out that certain drugs were exempt from GST while some others attracted 5 per cent tax.

With Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh among the listeners, the founder of the country’s prominent pharmaceutical player said, “My request is that these antibiotics discovered in India must receive a similar kind of status. Effectively, it will become more affordable to the patient.” “I would have said the same thing had I been in his position,” Singh responded.

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Nafithromycin is the first macrolide antibiotic in 30 years to complete clinical development for community-acquired bacterial pneumonia. This achievement is significant given the stagnation in new macrolide antibiotic approvals since the late 1980s despite pneumonia causing several million deaths annually worldwide.

Nafithromycin or Miqnaf is globally the first-ever once-a-day three-days-only treatment for community-acquired bacterial pneumonia, including those caused by multi-drug resistant bugs.

Miqnaf is highly active against azithromycin and amoxicillin/clavulanate-resistant Pneumococci, as well as the entire range of pathogens involved in such infections and thus offering a monotherapy option.

Addressing the gathering, Singh cautioned physicians against indiscriminate prescription of antibiotics to patients as such practices could lead to drug resistance.

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