Diabetes drug-maker USV marks entry into insulin with biosimilar of Insulin Aspart

A veteran in diabetes drugs, USV has partnered with biotech venture Biogenomics to bring out InsuQuick, the first locally-made biosimilar version of Insulin Aspart.

The partnership marks USV’s entry into insulin and Biogenomics’ first insulin in the market. And there’s more in the pipeline, USV and Biogenomics topbrass told businessline.

Insulin Aspart is a rapid acting product originally from multinational Novo Nordisk and is sold globally as NovoLog or NovoRapid.

“It is a marathon,” says USV Managing Director Prashant Tewari, outlining the complexities of making insulin products, and operating in a segment dominated by multinationals. USV is in an early-stage collaboration with Biogenomics, with milestone-linked funding, where USV would brand and distribute the product in India, he said.

Since the product is locally-made, it allows for a price that’s 15 percent less than market rates, he said, as they remain unaffected by global currency fluctuations (as compared to an imported product). And that philosophy would apply to future insulins, as well, he added.

The 60-plus years USV expects to post revenues of Rs 4,500 crore by March 2024. About half that comes from diabetes products sold in India and overseas, he said.

Insuquick will be available in cartridges, vials, and pre-filled disposable pens. The disposable and reusable pens are contemporary and lightweight in design and have a legible scale and audible clicks for precise incremental settings, USV said.

An Insuquick cartridge is priced at Rs 700; Insuquick VDPen is Rs 915 and Insuquick vial costs Rs 2321, a spokesperson for USV said. The product will be available in all metros, and Tier I/II cities, it added.

One stop shop

Dr Sanjay Sonar, Co-Founder and President – Biogenomics said, the product was a result of over 10 years of research and development work. A locally-made biosimilar provided “choice, continuity and affordable access,” he said, referring to disruptions in product supply-chains, be it from a health crisis like Covid-19 or geo-political situations including war.

The 23-year-old Biogenomics wants to be “a one stop-shop for all insulins”, Sonar said, without divulging details on other products in the pipeline. The biotech venture would manufacture the product, and USV would sell it in India and possibly the neighbouring regions, he said. Biogenomics would handle the manufacturing at its facilities, including one at Puducherry. Dr Archana Krishnan, Co-Founder and Director of Biogenomics , pointed out, the insulin biosimilar was made entirely with indigenous technology “using fingerprint-like similarity for structure conformation and a robust clinical program to establish efficacy and safety.”

The availability of a biosimilar version gives people getting diagnosed with diabetes more treatment options. India is home to the world’s second largest population living with diabetes. Over 11 percent of the country’s adult population, about 101 million people, are living with diabetes, the company said, adding that an additional 136 million people were pre-diabetic and ran the risk of full-blown diabetes in a short time.