GlaxoSmithKline India has introduced a low dose pill Elogen in the Bangalore market and the product is claimed to be an efficient birth control pill with improved safety profile.

According to a GSK release, Elogen has a low dose of estrogen and this combined with an improved progestogen gives women a highly efficient contraceptive pill with minimal side effects. The company has signed a co-marketing agreement with Organon India Ltd, a subsidiary of US-based Akzo Nobel to market the oral contraceptives Elogen and Zerogen.

The Pearl Index for Elogen is 0.02, which means that pregnancy occurs in only 2 out of 10,000 women who take this pill as instructed over a period of one year.

The oral contraceptive market in India is Rs 85 – 90 crore and is growing at 16-17 per cent. The usage of oral contraceptives in India is low when compared to the rest of the world where in UK it is 27%, Europe is 30% and USA – 20%. GSK has an aggressive strategy in place to corner a substantial market share, according to company sources.

“Most Indian women believe that oral contraceptives cause weight gain, excessive bleeding, infertility and cancer amongst other side effects,” said   Dr. Leela Bhagavan, a leading gynaecologist, adding that the side effects are seen more often and in stronger severity with higher dose conventional pills.

Oral contraceptives have evolved to reduce the estrogen content from 150 micrograms to 20 micrograms over the last 50 years to minimize estrogen-related side effects while maintaining efficacy. According to Dr. Indira Reddy, gynaecologist studies also show that the 20 microgram LDP has 50% fewer side effects (bloating, breast tenderness, nausea) than even the 35-microgram pills.

A survey conducted by GSK revealed that people expected their contraceptive method to be safe, effective, and convenient with fewer side effects, stated Dr. Sangeeta Madhok, Senior Medical Advisor, GSK during her presentation of safety and efficacy profiles of LDP-Elogen.