Novo, Reddy's tie up for anti-diabetes pill

"Novo Nordisk, in association with Dr Reddy's, is working on an anti-diabetic tablet," Sanjeev Shishoo, managing director of Novo Nordisk India, told newspersons here.

Novo Nordisk, which has a turnover of $3.5 billion, had earlier terminated clinical trials on Dr Reddy's anti-diabetic molecule, DRF-2725 (Ragaglitazar), after it found tumours in one mouse and several rats in long-term animal studies.

Shishoo was speaking at the sidelines of the launch of two insulin analogues (these are genetically engineered products where human insulin molecules are modified to enable safer and simpler insulin regimens) "" NovoMix 30 and NovoRapid"" in a flexpen.

Flexpen is a disposable pen-shaped device which does not include the use of vials and disposable syringes. The pen, along with 300 units of analogue insulin, is priced at Rs 525.

He added that the use of these analogues decreases the risk of hypoglycemia by 72 per cent. Unlike conventional insulin, which needs to be injected at least 30 minutes before the meals, these analogues could be injected just before or after the meal and thus offer greater flexibility, higher efficacy and enhanced safety in the insulin regime, Shishoo said.

The company is also working on new variants including insulin in an inhaler form which is going to be available only by 2007, he said.

Shishoo added that the problem with an inhaler is that while 10 per cent of the insulin inhaled enters the blood stream, about 90 per cent remains in the lungs.

India is a big market for anti-diabetes drugs since it currently has 32.7 million people who suffer from the disease. India is likely to become 'the diabetes capital of the world' by 2025 when the number is likely to touch 57 million.

While the overall anti-diabetes drug market is expected to be around Rs 1,000 crore, insulin market accounts for just about Rs 250 crore. In insulin, Novo Nordisk India is the leader with a 72 per cent market share.