Cancer drug prices slashed: NPPA announces steep MRP cuts from November 9
Published
2 min read 2 views
New Delhi, Oct 29 : Cancer patients in India are set to receive significant financial relief as the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has announced steep reductions in the maximum retail prices (MRPs) of several anti-cancer medicines, effective November 9, 2026.
The revised price list covers multiple non-scheduled anti-cancer drug formulations, with substantial reductions in selected brands of injectable and oral medicines, potentially easing the financial burden on patients undergoing prolonged cancer treatment.
Among the major reductions, Abbott Healthcare's bevacizumab 400 mg injection, supplied in a 16 ml vial, will now cost Rs 8,956.75 against its earlier MRP of Rs 65,205.09. The price of its 100 mg injection in a 4 ml vial has been reduced from Rs 21,767.70 to Rs 5,930.13.
Prices of several oral cancer medicines have also witnessed significant cuts. Samarth Life Sciences' DASATIB 100 mg tablets (30-tablet pack) have been reduced from Rs 10,116 to Rs 1,380.32, while the 50 mg tablets (60-tablet pack) have been revised from Rs 10,791 to Rs 1,457.57.
Similarly, Khandelwal Laboratories' ERLOTAZ 100 mg erlotinib capsules (30-capsule pack) have seen their MRP reduced from Rs 8,481.32 to Rs 1,050.14. The 150 mg formulation has been reduced from Rs 11,065.33 to Rs 1,718.26.
The revised list also includes medicines containing abiraterone acetate. Mylan Pharmaceuticals' MyTera 250 mg tablets (120-tablet pack) have been reduced from Rs 16,865 to Rs 5,105.50, while Intas Pharmaceuticals' ABIRATAS 250 mg tablets in the same pack size have been revised from Rs 28,305.94 to Rs 7,970.50.
For enzalutamide-based medicines, Hetero Healthcare's ENZANA 40 mg capsules (seven-capsule pack) have been reduced from Rs 2,227 to Rs 830. Abbott Healthcare's ENZANDRO 40 mg capsules (28-capsule pack) have seen a price reduction from Rs 10,890 to Rs 3,108.39.
The NPPA list further records reductions in azacitidine and denosumab formulations. Hetero Healthcare's AZASHINE 300 mg tablets (14-tablet pack) have been revised from Rs 24,637 to Rs 9,356, while the 200 mg formulation has been reduced from Rs 17,964 to Rs 6,675.
RPG Life Sciences' Debrumab 60 mg denosumab injection, supplied in a 1 ml prefilled syringe, has also witnessed a reduction from Rs 22,031.25 to Rs 5,941.
The revised prices are expected to provide relief to families managing recurring cancer treatment expenses. However, the actual savings will depend on the prescribed brand, strength and pack size. The reductions apply only to the specified formulations and should not be considered uniform across all cancer medicines or brands.
According to the NPPA, the revised MRPs will come into effect from November 9, 2026. The price list is based on information received from pharmaceutical companies up to October 28, 2026.
