Description
The overweight population and the incidence of type 2 diabetes are growing in China as the economy develops, the population ages, and the lifestyle changes. The number of people with type 2 diabetes exceeded 110 million at the end of 2017, and is still rising.
Taken by mouth, Gliclazide is a second-generation sulfonylurea to treat diabetes by stimulating insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells. It can protect pancreatic β-cells from the apoptosis caused by hyperglycemia, and prevent atherosclerosis (build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries) caused by type 2 diabetes.
Developed by French company Servier, Gliclazide (trade name: Diamicron) was first launched in France in 1972, and entered China in the 1980s. In China, at least 200,000 people with type 2 diabetes are taking Gliclazide every year.
In 1987, Tianjin Huajin Pharmaceutical Factory (now known as Tianjin Huajin Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.) started cooperating with Servier and Tianjin Pharmaceutical Station to produce Gliclazide (Diamicron), a new drug to treat type 2 diabetes. With the support of Servier, the company has been taking the leading position on China’s Gliclazide market. Also dominating the market are Servier and Servier (Tianjin) Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., the joint venture of Servier and Tianjin Huajin Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
According to CRI, the sales value of Gliclazide kept rising after the drug entered China, and exceeded CNY 200 million in 2017. It is expected that China’s Gliclazide market will continue to grow as the incidence of type 2 diabetes rises.
