Intensifying Competition in China's Antidiabetic Drug Market as New Products Gain Approval

　　【Pharmaceutical Network Market Analysis】With the sharp increase in the number of diabetes patients and the characteristic of long-term medication for diabetes, antidiabetic drugs have risen to the forefront of global pharmaceutical sales, second only to anticancer drugs. Currently, there are 8 classes of oral hypoglycemic drugs for diabetes, including biguanides, α-glucosidase inhibitors, thiazolidinediones, SGLT2 inhibitors, sulfonylureas, glinides, DPP-4 inhibitors, and GLP-1, etc.
 

China is a large country with a significant number of diabetes patients. As patient needs continue to grow, an increasing number of hypoglycemic drugs have been approved for use in China, including conventional medications such as biguanides, sulfonylureas, glinides, and insulin, as well as newer drugs like DPP-4 inhibitors, GLP-1 receptor agonists, and SGLT-2 inhibitors.
 

On September 14, China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm) Modern announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Sinopharm Wichita,Active Pharmaceutical IngredientsAcarbose has been approved for use in patients whose main dietary component is carbohydrates and who experience postprandial hyperglycemia. To date, Wichita, its group of pharmaceutical co., LTD has invested approximately RMB 5.0911 million in research and development expenses for the Acarbose API project.
 

Acarbose is an oral hypoglycemic drug that belongs to the class of α-glucosidase inhibitors. Other major manufacturers of acarbose active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) in China include Shijiazhuang Pharmaceutical Group Shengxue Glucose Co., Ltd., Livzon Group Xinbei River Pharmaceutical, and Zhejiang Hisun Pharmaceutical. Data shows that the global consumption of acarbose API from 2020 to 2022 was 836.894 tons. Sinopharm Modern stated that the approval of Wichita's acarbose API indicates that the API meets the relevant national drug approval technical standards and can be produced and sold in the Chinese market.
 

On September 15, China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) announced the approval of two diabetes treatment products from Eli Lilly and Company in China: the long-acting GLP-1R agonist dulaglutide injection and the long-acting basal insulin analog insulin glargine injection.
 

On September 11, Tonghua Dongbao Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. stated on the investor interaction platform that the company is closely following the global mainstream research and development trends of peptide drugs for weight loss and blood sugar reduction. In terms of GLP-1, apart from Semaglutide, the company's Liraglutide Injection is expected to be approved for marketing within this year. Additionally, the clinical trial applications for the innovative oral small molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist (THDBH110 capsule) and the GLP-1/GIP dual receptor agonist (THDBH120 for injection) have both been accepted.
 

In addition, CGeneTech's core product, a Class 1 innovative drug called Centriline (Shenggeletin), is also about to be launched. This drug is a novel, highly active, and safe DPP-4 inhibitor used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Earlier this year, Shenggeletin had already submitted an NDA (New Drug Application) to the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) and was accepted. Phase 3 clinical trial results showed that a low dose could achieve the pre-set trial endpoint, while the high-dose group further demonstrated the drug’s safety.
 

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According to incomplete statistics within the industry, there are already more than 500 drugs under research for diabetes indications in China. From the perspective of research targets, GLP-1 (Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Receptor), DPP-4 (Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4), SGLT-2 (Sodium-Glucose Co-Transporter-2), etc., have become popular targets with fierce competition.
 

In the future, against the backdrop of Chinese pharmaceutical companies actively competing to enter this billion-dollar track, the industry believes that local pharmaceutical companies can only gain a larger share in the global hypoglycemic drug market through continuous innovation and research and development. This will also provide better treatment options for domestic patients and improve people's health conditions.
 

Disclaimer: Under no circumstances shall the information or opinions expressed in this article constitute investment advice to any person.