Chinese insulin approved in Pakistan

Islamabad: The insulin glargine cartridge by Gan & Lee Pharmaceuticals just obtained the first biosimilar approval from the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP).

This expected to increase the accessibility of glucose-lowering medications in the local market, China Economic Net (CEN) reported on Wednesday. Data shows that Pakistan has 34.5 million diabetic patients aged 20-79, with a prevalence rate of 31.4%, ranking first in the world.

"Currently, 80% of Pakistan's insulin demand still relies on second-generation human insulin. As a third-generation insulin, insulin glargine better mimics physiological basal insulin secretion, achieving 24-hour stable glycemic control with only one daily injection.

This provides patients with a safer and more convenient long-term treatment option," Gan & Lee said to CEN. In addition to the newly approved insulin glargine cartridge, the company already introduced its insulin glargine pre-filled pen as the first insulin glargine biosimilar to Pakistan in 2022.

According to Gan & Lee, China and Pakistan possess complementary advantages in the pharmaceutical industry. China leads in biopharmaceutical R&D innovation, large-scale production and supply chain efficiency, while Pakistan features a strong medical demand, particularly for high-burden diseases like diabetes, a mature generic pharmaceutical system and competitive labour costs, creating enormous opportunities for bilateral cooperation.

"We have been cooperating with leading Pakistani pharmaceutical companies in technology transfer and localized manufacturing. For instance, the filling of insulin glargine vials has been localized," Gan & Lee told CEN.