AstraZeneca Invests RMB 190 Million to Build New Production Line for Antaduo, a Recently Approved Diabetes Drug in China

　　【Pharmaceutical Network Pharmaceutical Engineering】Diabetes is a common disease, with about 130 million patients in China. With the aggravation of population aging, the number of patients will continue to increase. The large patient base brings growth potential to the diabetes drug market. Relevant data shows that the global hypoglycemic drug market size was close to 60 billion US dollars in 2022. According to data released by the IDF (International Diabetes Federation), by 2025, the potential scale of China's diabetes market is expected to exceed 100 billion RMB. This vast market space for diabetes treatment is currently attracting multinational pharmaceutical companies to increase their investments.
 

On January 13, AstraZeneca announced that it had officially signed a new production line investment cooperation agreement with the Taizhou Medical High-Tech Industrial Development Zone, investing 190 million RMB in the construction of the Andasimibe new production line.
 

It is reported that Andasuo is a compound preparation for type 2 diabetes approved by AstraZeneca less than two months ago. On November 22, 2023, AstraZeneca announced the official launch of Andasuo® (generic name: Dapagliflozin Metformin Sustained-Release Tablets) in China.
 

Dagliflozin Metformin Hydrochloride Extended-Release Tablets are a compound preparation that combines two antihyperglycemic drugs with complementary mechanisms of action: dagliflozin (trade name: Forxiga), a sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, which has previously been approved in China for the treatment of adult type 2 diabetes, symptomatic chronic heart failure, and chronic kidney disease, and metformin hydrochloride extended-release tablets, an oral biguanide tablet taken once daily.
 

As the first compound formulation in China that combines an SGLT2 inhibitor with extended-release metformin hydrochloride, allowing for once-daily dosing at a fixed dose, this medication is expected to provide a first-line treatment option for improving glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes. Having been included in the National Reimbursement Drug List last year, the drug is anticipated to see increased adoption. Industry experts predict that its peak sales in the coming years could reach no less than 3 billion yuan.
 

According to reports, AstraZeneca's Taizhou base was put into operation in 2014. The group is continuously introducing core diabetes drug technologies and the entire product production supply chain, aiming to make China Medical City a global production and supply base for AstraZeneca's diabetes products.
 

In addition to Andasule, another diabetes drug of AstraZeneca, Andatang (Dapagliflozin), is also produced at the Taizhou base. In 2022, AstraZeneca announced an investment of 180 million yuan to build a production line for Andatang, supplying both the Chinese and overseas markets. The product's sales in China are expected to exceed 1 billion US dollars. After the production lines of Andatang, Andasule, and others are put into operation, the annual output value of the Taizhou production base is expected to reach 10 billion yuan.
 

It is worth mentioning that AstraZeneca is not the only company targeting the Chinese diabetes market. In recent years, multinational pharmaceutical companies such as Sanofi, Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, and Bayer have also announced ambitious plans to expand into China's diabetes drug market. In the future, innovative drugs and novel combination formulations for diabetes treatment will continue to emerge.
 

For example, in January 2023, Sanofi announced the launch of a compound formulation for type 2 diabetes, Soliqua, in China. This drug combines insulin glargine and the GLP-1 class drug lixisenatide, and is suitable for adult patients with type 2 diabetes who have poor blood sugar control. It is used in combination with other oral hypoglycemic drugs on the basis of diet and exercise to improve blood sugar control. The drug was also included in the national medical insurance catalog in the same year.
 

Meanwhile, as multinational pharmaceutical companies enter the market to gain a share, local pharmaceutical companies such as Hansoh Pharma, Hengrui Medicine, Hua Medicine, Tonghua Dongbao, Huadong Medicine, and Gan & Lee Pharmaceuticals have also joined the race in developing diabetes drugs. It can be foreseen that competition in China's diabetes drug market may become increasingly fierce in the future.
 

Disclaimer: In any case, the information or opinions expressed in this article do not constitute investment advice to any person.