Biocon offers psoriasis treatment

Biocon has introduced a therapy for treatment of psoriasis—a skin disease—claiming its offering provides superior safety than other treatments. Psoriasis—formation of red patches on skin—is a lifelong condition and does not have a cure yet. Through treatments, its symptoms disappear for some time (this duration is known as “remission period”). Announcing the launch of ALZUMAb on Saturday, Biocon CMD Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw said the treatment is an outcome of path-breaking research in India and would usher in a paradigm shift in treating psoriasis.

Rakesh Bamzai, president (marketing), Biocon, said the therapy offers better safety, efficacy, longer remission period and lower infection rate. He said these features would lead to overall reduction in cost burden to the patient.

He said a single dose of ALZUMAb is priced at Rs7,950 and the person suffering from psoriasis has to undergo treatment for 24 weeks. Mazumdar-Shaw was asked if the poor would get concession. She ruled it out, saying the company has to recover the money it pumped in for research and development of the therapy.

Indicated for the treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis, ALZUMAb is being introduced in India by Biocon’s immunotherapy division. Formulated as an infusion drug it is manufactured at Biocon’s biopharma manufacturing facility at Biocon Park, in Bangalore.