Introducing Glyclapan MR 60, a milestone in SL diabetes care history SL won’t produce its own medicine to maintain diplomatic affairs : Pharma giant

Pic by Pradeep Dilrukshana 

By Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana 

Although Sri Lanka is capable of manufacturing over 15 varieties of essential molecules for significant diseases, it will continue to rely on importing some innovative brands from overseas merely to maintain certain diplomatic relationships, a pharmaceutical giant said. 

The country is still borrowing a lot from many powerful countries in the world and as a result it cannot self sustain on most of the essential medicines the way countries like Bangladesh does, the manufacturer claimed. 
Former President of the Sri Lanka Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association and Chairman Gamma Interpharm (Pvt) Ltd. Kalana Hewamallika made these observations at a recent press conference to introduce an essential drug to treat type 2 diabetes, Glyclapan MR 60.

Hewamallika said it was a milestone in Sri Lankan diabetes care history to introduce a fully locally made drug with a successful bioequivalence test conducted at the Kotelawala Defence University (KDU), confirming the therapeutic equivalence to its innovator brand from France. 

“This is the first time in Sri Lanka a Gliclazide molecule was subjected to a bioequivalent test with an innovator product and became so successful. When the imported innovator product is sold at Rs.70 we can sell the locally made drug for just Rs.30,” he said.Asked if the patients would rely more on expensive innovator products or the imported original brand, Hewamallika said the all Sri Lankan drug was manufactured targeting the low and middle income masses of the country, which cannot spend a fortune for their chronic illnesses.

“Sri Lanka has the resources and technological know how to produce a range of medicines locally as spending for innovator brands is very high with its research and development costs and shipping costs. But sometimes the government and the bureaucracy doesn’t encourage the private sector manufacturers to make these drugs locally,” he said. 

Company’s Factory Director Ajith Munasinghe said the state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Madapatha, Piliyandala complies with the guidelines for Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) adopted by the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) and WHO GMP main principles for pharmaceutical products. Gamma Interpharm (Pvt) Ltd has also expanded its exports into Myanmar, the Maldives, Cambodia, Vietnam and the Philippines meeting international standards.