Enbrel if given 50 mg a week can cost around 12000 - 16000 per week, around 50000 per month, depending on whether you are enrolled for any patient support program or not.
There are generic versions of Enbrel like Etacept by cipla and Intacept by Intas which are similar price but company might throw additional free injections making overall monthly cost cheaper.
There are other biologic injections which should also be considered
1) Infliximab drug
Remicade (Janssen pharma brand) - Original biologic molecule
Infimab (sun pharma) - Biosimilar molecule
Dose
Given every 8weeks in a saline drip (but in non affording patients can be stretched to 12 weeks. Dose 3mg/kg each time . so for 60kg ~ 200 mg every time. cost of 100 mg = 17000 rupees).
Cost
If you take
If you take it every 12 weeks, cost per year ~ 4 lakhs
But some times you can extend it upto 16 weeks, cost per year ~
But generic version of biologic medicines like Enbrel are not same like generic versions of a tablet like paracetamol etc. Chemical composition wise simple tablets like a simple house, while biologic injections are like whole building. Its easy to copy a house architecture, but very complex to copy whole building in exactly same way. That is why generic versions of biologics are not called generics, but biosimilars, meaning they are not exactly alike but similar. Confusing ?
Basically generic versions of Enbrel or biologic injections do work but they are not exactly same drugs. Enbrel is original drugs and others may be first copies not exact copies.
There are generic versions of Enbrel like Etacept by cipla and Intacept by Intas which are similar price but company might throw additional free injections making overall monthly cost cheaper.
There are other biologic injections which should also be considered
1) Infliximab drug
Remicade (Janssen pharma brand) - Original biologic molecule
Infimab (sun pharma) - Biosimilar molecule
Dose
Given every 8weeks in a saline drip (but in non affording patients can be stretched to 12 weeks. Dose 3mg/kg each time . so for 60kg ~ 200 mg every time. cost of 100 mg = 17000 rupees).
Cost
If you take
If you take it every 12 weeks, cost per year ~ 4 lakhs
But some times you can extend it upto 16 weeks, cost per year ~
But generic version of biologic medicines like Enbrel are not same like generic versions of a tablet like paracetamol etc. Chemical composition wise simple tablets like a simple house, while biologic injections are like whole building. Its easy to copy a house architecture, but very complex to copy whole building in exactly same way. That is why generic versions of biologics are not called generics, but biosimilars, meaning they are not exactly alike but similar. Confusing ?
Basically generic versions of Enbrel or biologic injections do work but they are not exactly same drugs. Enbrel is original drugs and others may be first copies not exact copies.
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