Sanofi Launches Novel Basal Insulin Toujeo® in China to Support Stable Glycemic Control for Diabetes Patients
Nov 14, 2020 17:29
CST Updated
17:29
Sanofi
Pharmaceutical R&D Developer
On November 14, 2020, Sanofi, a global leader in biopharmaceuticals, announced the official launch in China of its innovative diabetes medication, Insulin Glargine Injection U300 (specification: 1.5 mL: 450 units/pre-filled pen) (trademark: Toujeo®), providing a safer and more stable new option for adult patients with type 2 diabetes requiring insulin therapy. The first prescription was issued in Beijing on November 10.
Globally, the incidence of diabetes is on the rise, with China having the largest number of patients worldwide—over 100 million individuals affected. Professor Zhu Dalong, Chairman of the Chinese Diabetes Society and Director of the Department of Endocrinology at Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, stated, “The prevalence of prediabetes in China is as high as 35.2%. Without intervention, these individuals will eventually join the ‘diabetes epidemic,’ imposing a heavy burden on society and families.”
Diabetes, as a chronic disease, often accompanies patients throughout their lives. As the disease progresses, most diabetic patients typically require insulin supplementation or replacement therapy; therefore, adherence to insulin treatment is crucial. However, due to many patients' lack of proper understanding of insulin, the current rate of insulin use in China remains relatively low. Furthermore, among patients undergoing insulin therapy, factors such as inappropriate selection of injection timing, dosage, and injection sites can adversely affect the efficacy of insulin treatment and the rate of achieving target blood glucose levels.
As the most common adverse reaction in insulin therapy, the potential harms of hypoglycemia cannot be overlooked. For clinicians, concern about hypoglycemia affects insulin dose adjustments and is a key factor hindering the achievement of glycemic targets. For patients, fear of hypoglycemia increases the rate of discontinuation, easily leads to habitual anxiety, causes distress in daily life, and undermines treatment confidence and efficacy.
Toujeo® provides more stable glycemic control with a lower risk of hypoglycemia, offering patients a superior treatment option. Professor Ji Linong, Director of the Department of Endocrinology at Peking University People’s Hospital and principal investigator for the Chinese registration study of Toujeo®, stated: “Compared with existing insulin therapies, our clinical studies conducted in the Chinese population with type 2 diabetes demonstrate that Toujeo®, an innovative long-acting basal insulin launched today, features more stable and prolonged pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic profiles. It offers excellent glycemic efficacy with a reduced incidence of hypoglycemia and greater flexibility in dose titration. These attributes better address the treatment needs of Chinese patients with diabetes, enhance treatment safety and adherence, and thereby facilitate sustained, effective long-term glycemic control.”
Results from the “BRIGHT” international, multicenter, randomized controlled trial, which enrolled 929 patients with type 2 diabetes, showed that after 24 weeks of treatment, the Toujeo® group achieved a 1.64% reduction in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) from baseline. During the initiation and dose-titration phases—the most critical stages of insulin therapy—the incidence of hypoglycemic events in the Toujeo® group was significantly reduced by 43% compared with the control group.
Dr. Pius S. Hornstein, President of Sanofi China, stated, “Benefiting from the Chinese government’s policies to accelerate the introduction of innovative medicines, Toujeo® is the sixth innovative drug launched by Sanofi in China this year, and also the third biologic. Adhering to our ‘patient-centric’ mission, Sanofi will continue to focus on unmet needs in chronic disease management, accelerate innovation, and consistently introduce innovative medicines and integrated innovative solutions for chronic diseases, striving to achieve the ambitious vision of reversing the trend of chronic disease prevalence by 2030.”
Toujeo® Launch Ceremony Kick-off Event Simultaneously Held Across 11 Cities Nationwide
From left to right: Mr. Wang Shunyao, General Manager of the Shanghai Hospital Sales Management Headquarters of Sinopharm Group Co., Ltd.; Professor Li Yiming from Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University; Dr. He Enting, CEO of Sanofi China; Professor Li Xiaoying from Zhongshan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University; and Mr. Wu Qi, Deputy General Manager of the National Procurement Center of Shanghai Pharmaceuticals Holding Co., Ltd.
Globally, the incidence of diabetes is on the rise, with China having the largest number of patients worldwide—over 100 million individuals affected. Professor Zhu Dalong, Chairman of the Chinese Diabetes Society and Director of the Department of Endocrinology at Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, stated, “The prevalence of prediabetes in China is as high as 35.2%. Without intervention, these individuals will eventually join the ‘diabetes epidemic,’ imposing a heavy burden on society and families.”
Diabetes, as a chronic disease, often accompanies patients throughout their lives. As the disease progresses, most diabetic patients typically require insulin supplementation or replacement therapy; therefore, adherence to insulin treatment is crucial. However, due to many patients' lack of proper understanding of insulin, the current rate of insulin use in China remains relatively low. Furthermore, among patients undergoing insulin therapy, factors such as inappropriate selection of injection timing, dosage, and injection sites can adversely affect the efficacy of insulin treatment and the rate of achieving target blood glucose levels.
As the most common adverse reaction in insulin therapy, the potential harms of hypoglycemia cannot be overlooked. For clinicians, concern about hypoglycemia affects insulin dose adjustments and is a key factor hindering the achievement of glycemic targets. For patients, fear of hypoglycemia increases the rate of discontinuation, easily leads to habitual anxiety, causes distress in daily life, and undermines treatment confidence and efficacy.
Toujeo® provides more stable glycemic control with a lower risk of hypoglycemia, offering patients a superior treatment option. Professor Ji Linong, Director of the Department of Endocrinology at Peking University People’s Hospital and principal investigator for the Chinese registration study of Toujeo®, stated: “Compared with existing insulin therapies, our clinical studies conducted in the Chinese population with type 2 diabetes demonstrate that Toujeo®, an innovative long-acting basal insulin launched today, features more stable and prolonged pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic profiles. It offers excellent glycemic efficacy with a reduced incidence of hypoglycemia and greater flexibility in dose titration. These attributes better address the treatment needs of Chinese patients with diabetes, enhance treatment safety and adherence, and thereby facilitate sustained, effective long-term glycemic control.”
Results from the “BRIGHT” international, multicenter, randomized controlled trial, which enrolled 929 patients with type 2 diabetes, showed that after 24 weeks of treatment, the Toujeo® group achieved a 1.64% reduction in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) from baseline. During the initiation and dose-titration phases—the most critical stages of insulin therapy—the incidence of hypoglycemic events in the Toujeo® group was significantly reduced by 43% compared with the control group.
Dr. Pius S. Hornstein, President of Sanofi China, stated, “Benefiting from the Chinese government’s policies to accelerate the introduction of innovative medicines, Toujeo® is the sixth innovative drug launched by Sanofi in China this year, and also the third biologic. Adhering to our ‘patient-centric’ mission, Sanofi will continue to focus on unmet needs in chronic disease management, accelerate innovation, and consistently introduce innovative medicines and integrated innovative solutions for chronic diseases, striving to achieve the ambitious vision of reversing the trend of chronic disease prevalence by 2030.”