Singapore: Now diabetes patients can heave a sigh of relief with India-based Glenmark Pharma announcing the launch of Teneligliptin, that promises to lower treatment cost for patients by 55-60 percent.

Experts said that this lauch will help in cutting down costs for patients as Teneligliptin is priced aggressively at nearly Rs 20 for a day's therapy (Rs 7,263 per year) as against all gliptins being sold in the market that are priced around Rs 45 for a day, taking the cost of treatment for patients to nearly Rs 16,500 per year.

Diabetes is fast gaining the status of a potential epidemic in India with over 67 million individuals currently diagnosed with the disease (source: IDF 2014), while there is a huge undiagnosed diabetes population estimated around 35.4 million.

Though gliptins are gaining popularity as an effective treatment for diabetes, high cost of the drug has always been a concern for the low income groups.The economic burden of diabetes is high in India as most patients pay out of their pocket for treatment due to the lack of medical reimbursement

The drug, originally developed by Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma, is approved for use mainly in Japan and Korea, and will be available in the country soon, said a Glenmark official. The company received approval from DCGI after conducting clinical trials on the molecule for over two years in India, he added.