Explained — Why Natco Pharma shares surged up to 5% on Friday

Shares of Natco Pharma Ltd. surged up to 5% on Friday, October 10, in response to the Delhi High Court upholding an earlier order, allowing the company to sell a generic version of Swiss drugmaker Roche's spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) drug Risdiplam in India.

A division bench dismissed Roche’s appeal against a March 2025

single-judge order that had denied an injunction on public interest grounds, noting that the life-saving therapy must remain affordable and accessible.

Sold under the brand name Evrysdi by Roche, Risdiplam is used to treat SMA, a rare genetic disorder that causes progressive muscle weakness and loss of motor function. The latest ruling clears the path for Natco to launch its generic version immediately.

In a statement, Natco said it would release the product at a maximum retail price of ₹15,900 per bottle, a steep reduction from Roche’s imported version priced at around ₹6 lakh. The company added that it plans to offer additional discounts through a patient access programme to make the medicine even more affordable for eligible patients.

Shares of Natco Pharma are trading 4% higher on Friday at ₹845.3. The stock is flat over the last one month, but is down over 45% from its 52-week high of over ₹1,500 per share.