The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has fixed the retail prices for 42 new drug formulations and approved an increased ceiling price for Meropenem Powder for Injection manufactured with special features by M/s Gufic Biosciences Limited. This decision, effective August 29, 2025, acknowledges the unique properties of the company’s dual-chamber bag formulation.
The NPPA’s Multidisciplinary Committee of Experts, in its 69th and 70th meetings, recommended a 15% increase over the standard ceiling price for these products. This recommendation was based on the special features of the formulation, which include:
- Self-collapsibility and self-sealability.
- Absence of an air-vent, reducing the risk of contamination.
- Dual-chamber bags, which simplify reconstitution and ensure accurate dosing.
The NPPA has accepted these recommendations, fixing the new ceiling prices exclusively for M/s Gufic Biosciences Limited. The new prices, which are applicable per dual-chamber bag and are exclusive of GST, are as follows:
| Sl. No. | Name of the Scheduled Formulation | Dosage form and Strength | Ceiling Price (Rs.) |
| 1 | Meropenem Powder for Injection | 500 mg (as trihydrate) | 845.94 |
| 2 | Meropenem Powder for Injection | 1000 mg (as trihydrate) | 1114.72 |
The notification clarifies that these new ceiling prices only apply to the manufacturer mentioned in the order and for the specified dual-chamber bag formulation. Any other manufacturer with special features in their products must apply to the NPPA for separate price approval. Manufacturers are required to issue a new price list in Form-V, and retailers must display this list conspicuously. Non-compliance with the new prices will make manufacturers liable to deposit the overcharged amount with interest.
New Drug Formulations
The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has also fixed the retail prices for 42 new drug formulations, taking a significant step to ensure the affordability and accessibility of a wide range of new medicines in India. The order, issued under the provisions of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013, sets the maximum price, exclusive of Goods and Services Tax (GST), for formulations across various therapeutic categories.
The fixed prices apply to a range of critical medicines from multiple manufacturers and marketers, including:
- A combination of Cefixime & Ofloxacin (SR) Tablets has been priced at ₹30.79 per tablet. The price for Meropenem & Sulbactam for Injection has been set at ₹1938.59 per vial.
- The price of a tablet combining Dapagliflozin, Glimepiride & Metformin Hydrochloride (Extended Release) has been fixed at ₹11.02. Another formulation combining Empagliflozin, Linagliptin & Metformin Hydrochloride is priced at ₹25.00 per tablet.
- A tablet containing Bisoprolol Fumarate & Amlodipine is now priced at ₹8.72. A combination of Ramipril & Extended Release Metoprolol Succinate has a fixed retail price of ₹25.78 per tablet.
The notification specifies that manufacturers and marketers of these new drugs must adhere to the retail prices listed in the order. Manufacturers are permitted to add GST only if it is actually paid or payable to the government on the specified retail price.
Under the regulations, every retailer and dealer is mandated to display the price list and any supplementary price list provided by the manufacturer in a conspicuous part of their premises, making it easily accessible to consumers. The NPPA has also reiterated that non-compliance will result in the manufacturer being liable to deposit the overcharged amount along with interest, as per the provisions of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013.
Addendum
An addendum to the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority’s (NPPA) orders on ceiling prices for scheduled IV fluids has been issued, effective August 29, 2025.
The addendum modifies previous orders from March 27 and July 4, 2025, by adding three new manufacturers to Table B for IV fluids (non-glass with special features):
- M/s BML Parenteral Drugs
- M/s Hindustan Polyfab
- M/s Pharma Implex Laboratories Pvt. Ltd.
The addendum also clarifies which specific formulations from Table A are applicable to each of these new manufacturers. For instance, M/s Hindustan Polyfab’s ceiling price applies only to formulations specified at serial numbers 2, 4, 5, and 7 of Table A.