One of the leading Russian pharmaceutical producers Akrikhin continues consistent realization of the program of import substitution in the field of socially significant drugs. One of strategically important direction of Company product portfolio – diabetes - was reinforced by a new original medicine Glimekomb. The drug was developed by the Research and Development Centre of Akrikhin. It does not have any analogues on the Russian pharmaceutical market.

According to the Department of Health and Social Development in 2009 in Russia 3.6 millions of diabetics were registered. At the same time according to Russian State Diabetics Register, from 2000 to 2009 incidence rate in our country was more than 1 million of patients. Meanwhile results of control epidemiological studies show that in Russia the real number of patients with this pathologic disease is no less than 8 millions. In this context launch of an original Russian medicine for diabetes treatment presents a possibility in prospect to satisfy Russian healthcare needs in antihyperglycemic drugs of Russian manufacture and to reduce dependence from imported drugs.

Glimekomb is a fixed combination of two active substances – gliclazide and metformin, and no producer in the Russian pharmaceutical market offers such a combination. Glimekomb was developed on the basis of recommendations of leading Russian endocrinologists. As a result doctors and patients have access to an easy-to-use drug: today gliclazide and metformin are related to the first-line treatment of diabetes mellitus, so long as they are the most progressive and safe remedies for treatment of this disease. However up to now patients are bound to use them separately. Since the launch of Glimekomb, patients with diabetes mellitus will have the opportunity to take 1-2 tablets instead of 3-4 tablets twice a day. It does not only reduce drug load on the organism, but also allows to save on the treatment perceptibly. Glimekomb successfully passed clinical trial conducted in several leading endocrinological clinics of Moscow.

As a producer of socially significant drugs Akrikhin considers the product portfolio direction of diabetes as one of the most important. Since 1996 Company has put on the market nine antidiabetic medicines, all of them are developed by R&D center of the Company. Akrikhin is a notable player on the Russian market of antihyperglycemic drugs: according to the Market Research Centre “Pharmexpert” during the first quarter of 2010, share of Akrikhin made up 4.17% of the Russian market of antihyperglycemic drugs (in packages, nonregistering insulins). At the same time share of all domestic companies on this market is 5.9%.

Currently within the scope of the program of import substitution as the first stage of «Strategy of development of Russian pharmaceutical industry 2020», positive dynamics is clearly observed, namely increase of share of Russian antidiabetic drugs in government purchase. So, for example, in the segment of metformins share of domestic antihyperglycemic preparations purchased within the ONLS (public reimbursement) program and in the hospital sector increased from 3% in 2006 and up to 39% at the end of the first half-year of the 2010 (data of Market Research Centre “Pharmexpert”, in packages). Similar trend is also observed in the segment of gliclazides, namely increase of the share of the domestic preparation from 14% in 2006 and up to 27% during the first 6 months of 2010. At the same time, as before, substitution of imported drugs for domestic analogues can result in economy of the state financing up to 30-40%.

Akrikhin President Jan Slob says: «We consider that strategy of import substitution is to be optimally balanced, it means that it has to take into account both requirements of the State, needs of producers and interests of patients and practitioners. Glimekomb is developed by R&D center of the company, which takes into account opinion of leading endocrinologists, allows the patient to receive effective treatment, and enables the state to optimize its expenditures. In this role it is a striking example of realization of a balanced strategy of import substitution». It is worth mentioning that this year company’s portfolio has been replenished with eight new products. Among them there are both drugs developed in the Company R&D centre, as well as developed in collaboration with foreign partners. In total in 2010 introduction of 12 new products on the market is planned.