DCGI approves Bayer India’s Intravitreal Injection Aflibercept for the treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema

The Drug Controller General of India (DGCI) has reportedly granted approval to a new intravitreal injection, Aflibercept, developed by Bayer in India for the treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema (DME). The green light to the Aflibercept injection offers a new and alternative therapeutic option to the currently available ones for treating DME.

Diabetic Macular Edema is reportedly one of the frequent possible causes of loss of vision in diabetic neuropathy patients. According to the survey, this complication is expected to affect over 22.4 million people in India over the course of two decades. According to MD of Bayer Zydus Pharma, Manoj Saxena, “Intravitreal Aflibercept offers patients impacted by diabetic vision loss a new option to be proactive and stay ahead of the disease.” Furthermore, he added the patients can maintain their vision through this treatment. Commenting on the diabetic scenario of India, he added, “India has a large and growing prevalence of diabetes, coupled with low levels of awareness and diagnosis of vision-related complications resulting from the condition. Since a significant number of people living with diabetes are under 50, are working and may have dependent families, the economic and social burden of such complications is high.” Additionally, he said the newly minted effective and innovative treatment will be accessible through the patient support program Bayer in India has along with financing partnerships for the patients with DME. Diabetes is a common problem in India and has affected millions of people in the country for decades.

Commenting on this, Dr. Shobhit Chawla, President of the Vitreo-Retina Society in India, said, “Based on existing medical literature, we can estimate that diabetic eye disease is found approximately in every fifth person living with diabetes in urban India, and every tenth person living with diabetes in rural India. However, very few diabetic patients get screened proactively.” The Indian facility of the German pharmaceutical giant operates under Bayer Zydus Pharma, a collaboration between Zydus Cadila and Bayer.