(MENAFN- Swissinfo) An Indian court has cleared the way for low-cost alternatives to Roche's drug Evrysdi for spinal muscular atrophy. What's behind the decision and what could it mean for rare disease patients everywhere? This content was published on October 16, 2025 - 12:40 7 minutes

I report on the Swiss pharmaceutical industry and healthcare topics such as access to medicine, biomedical innovation, and the impact of diseases like cancer. I grew up just outside San Francisco and studied international affairs with a focus on development economics and healthcare policy. Prior to joining SWI swissinfo in 2018, I was a freelance journalist and a researcher on business and human rights.

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On October 9 the Delhi High Court refused to issue Roche an injunction to prevent generic manufacturers from making and selling a low-cost version of one of the company's top selling drugs.

The drug risdiplam, sold by the Swiss pharma giant as Evrysdi, was first approved in the US in 2020 for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy – a genetic disease that leads to muscle loss and wasting. Babies with the most serious form of the disease often don't live past their second birthday.

What does the Delhi court's ruling mean for patients in India and beyond?

Alpana Sharma, the founder of the patient advocacy group Cure SMA Foundation India, told Swissinfo via email that the court's“move has the potential to significantly improve access to affordable treatment options for SMA patients in India”.

The price of Evrysdi, which in India is estimatedExternal link at ₹7 million a year (CHF65,000), has put it far out of reach of most patients in the country, where the average national incomeExternal link per capita is estimated at ₹231,000. Although no precise numbers exist, media reports suggest around 5,000 adults have SMA, and 3,200 babies are born with SMAExternal link each year in India. However, only 270 people received the drug last year through the Indian government and Roche charity programmes, according to Roche.

“Indian patients aren't able to access this drug, not because it is hard or costs a lot to produce, but because of Roche's monopoly,” said KM Gopakumar, a legal advisor and senior researcher with the India-based NGO Third World Network.“The Delhi court decision has made affordable access possible.”

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