NPPA notifies lower MRPs for 543 cancer drug brands, cuts up to 93%
By Neha KapoorEconomy Correspondent, Peepals Business
Representative image: Pexels / Pixabay
The NPPA on 28 October 2026 published revised MRPs for 543 anti-cancer brands, with cuts of up to 93% from November 9, after capping trade margins at 30%.
What Happened
The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), India's drug-price regulator, on Wednesday, 28 October 2026 published revised maximum retail prices (MRPs) for 543 brands and packs of anti-cancer medicines, with some prices falling by up to 93%. The new prices take effect on 9 November 2026. The list puts brand-by-brand numbers on the regulator's 17 October decision to cap trade margins on 137 non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs. Patient groups have welcomed the cuts but say several of the most expensive cancer medicines are not covered.
Key Facts
- Scope: revised MRPs for 543 anti-cancer brands and packs, published on 28 October 2026.
- Effective date: 9 November 2026.
- Size of cuts: up to 93% for some packs.
- Example: RPG Life Sciences' Fulbreca (5 ml vial) falls from Rs 26,072.16 to Rs 5,491, a cut of about 79%.
- Example: Enuta (28 capsules) falls from Rs 6,578.20 to Rs 2,232, a cut of about 66%.
- Rule behind the cuts: the trade margin, the gap between what a company charges a stockist and the MRP, is capped at 30% of the MRP excluding GST.
- Not covered: major innovator brands such as Keytruda, and medicines including nivolumab and bevacizumab, show no price reduction, according to reports of the list.
Why It Matters
Many cancer medicines cost thousands of rupees for a single pack, as the brands on the new list show, and the cost of a full course is far higher. When the NPPA capped trade margins on 137 anti-cancer drugs on 17 October, the decision was a rule; the 28 October list turns that rule into prices that patients will see on the pack from 9 November.
Trade margin rationalisation works by limiting how much can be added between the factory gate and the pharmacy counter. Under the formula, the margin may be no more than 30% of the MRP, excluding GST. Put the other way round, the MRP can be at most about 42.86% higher than the price charged to the stockist or distributor. For drugs where wholesalers and retailers were earning very large margins, this forces a steep cut in the printed price even if the company's own selling price does not change.
The approach is not new. In 2019 the regulator capped trade margins on 42 anti-cancer drugs at 30% as a pilot to test the idea. The October 2026 round is much wider. The gaps matter as much as the cuts, however. Reports note that innovator brands such as Keytruda, and medicines such as nivolumab and bevacizumab, are not part of the reductions. Patient groups argue that exclusions for patient assistance programmes, under which companies give some patients free or discounted supplies, and gaps in the price data have reduced the relief.
| Brand (pack) | Old MRP | New MRP from 9 Nov | Cut |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fulbreca (5 ml vial) | Rs 26,072.16 | Rs 5,491 | About 79% |
| Enuta (28 capsules) | Rs 6,578.20 | Rs 2,232 | About 66% |
| Highest cut on the list | - | - | Up to 93% |
Impact
Short-term: From 9 November, chemists must sell the 543 listed brands and packs at or below the new MRPs. Stock already on shelves at higher prices is a point patients should watch; they can compare the printed price with the NPPA list.
Long-term: Lower printed prices could reduce what families and hospitals pay for many cancer medicines, and the same margin-cap method could be applied to other groups of costly drugs. How much patients actually save will depend on whether the most-used treatments are covered.
Who is affected: Cancer patients and their families, hospitals and chemists, pharmaceutical companies and distributors whose margins shrink, and health insurers.
Key Takeaway
From 9 November 2026, 543 anti-cancer brands and packs must sell at lower MRPs set by the NPPA, with cuts of up to 93%, though several costly innovator medicines are not included.
Questions and Answers
Which cancer drug prices have been cut and from when?
The NPPA published revised MRPs for 543 anti-cancer brands and packs on 28 October 2026. The lower prices apply from 9 November 2026. Examples include Fulbreca 5 ml, down from Rs 26,072.16 to Rs 5,491, and Enuta 28 capsules, down from Rs 6,578.20 to Rs 2,232.
How is the NPPA cutting cancer drug prices?
It is capping trade margins. The margin between the price charged to a stockist and the MRP, excluding GST, can be no more than 30% of the MRP, so brands with higher margins must lower their printed price.
Are all cancer medicines cheaper now?
No. Reports of the list say major innovator brands such as Keytruda, and medicines including nivolumab and bevacizumab, are not reduced. Patients should check their specific brand and pack against the NPPA list.
Is this the first time India has capped margins on cancer drugs?
No. In 2019 the regulator capped trade margins on 42 anti-cancer drugs at 30% as a pilot. The 2026 round covers 137 drugs and 543 brands and packs.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
By Neha Kapoor, Economy CorrespondentCovers Economy and more for Peepals Business. All stories by Neha Kapoor
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Neha Kapoor is a pen name of the Peepals Global Editorial Team, which researches, fact-checks and publishes every story. The portrait is an illustration.
