Akrikhin and PSK Pharma have reached agreements on the supply of generic semaglutide for the treatment of type 2 diabetes to the retail channel. This will improve the availability of the highly sought-after¹ drug in pharmacies and ensure greater accessibility for patients.

Semaglutide, as a representative of the class of analogues (receptor agonists) of glucagon-like peptide-1 (arGLP-1), is one of the most modern and effective drugs for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus^2,3. According to the Federal Register of Diabetes Mellitus in Russia, 4.9 million people with this disease are registered, and this number increases by 270,000 patients annually⁴. Many of them develop diabetes mellitus against the background of obesity or overweight, which increases the risk of early mortality and vascular accidents³.

The drug of PSK Pharma significantly improves glycemic control, reduces total body weight and adipose tissue mass, has a positive effect on the factors of atherosclerosis pathogenesis and vascular inflammation, and also improves the prognosis of macro- and microvascular complications¹. The main difference between the drug of PSK Pharma and other generics of semaglutide on the market is the number of needles and the design of the syringe pen. The package of semaglutide from PSK Pharma contains 6 needles, which corresponds to the shelf life of the pen used, and special marks on the syringe pen allow you to control the consumption of the drug.

Denis Chetverikov, the President of the company Akrikhin:

«The partnership with PSK Pharma is a continuation of our business strategy to quickly bring the most popular drugs to market, and is also in line with the company’s expertise in endocrinology. Our portfolio includes four endocrinological drugs, three of which are intended for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Today, together with PSK Pharma, we are taking another step towards developing domestic therapy so that as many patients in Russia as possible, including those who do not fall into the preferential categories of citizens, can receive modern, affordable5 and high-quality treatment».

Evgeniya Shapiro, CEO of PSK Pharma:

Akrikhin has a high level of expertise in bringing new drugs to market, and knows and understands what doctors and patients need to meet their needs for modern therapy. The main priority of PSK Pharma, as a high-tech manufacturer of vital drugs, is the impeccable quality and effectiveness of our products⁶. Thanks to the joint efforts of the two companies, doctors will receive another innovative⁷ drug, an anti-GLP-1 antigen, with a unique set of pleiotropic effects and an affordable price⁵. We are confident that the cooperation between PSK Pharma and Akrikhin will allow us to meet the growing demand for therapy for one of the socially significant and widespread diseases, as well as demonstrate the high quality of Russian pharmaceuticals to the medical and patient community."

The drug of PSK Pharma is the third generic of semaglutide on the arGPP-1 market in Russia. In 2024, the semaglutide market showed explosive growth: in just one year, the number of packages sold increased by 4,941% to 1.8 million units⁸.

List of sources:

1. In 2024, the number of packages sold increased by 4,941% to 1.8 million units. IQVIA data, 12’2024
2. Instructions for medical use of the drug Insudive^® LP-008853-120724.
3. Clinical guidelines «Type 2 diabetes mellitus in adults». https://cr.minzdrav.gov.ru/preview-cr/290_2?ysclid=m6gmnl49o9860683843, accessed: 14.02.2025
4. Dedov I.I., et al. Diabetes mellitus in the Russian Federation: dynamics of epidemiological indicators according to the Federal Register of Diabetes Mellitus for the period 2010 — 2022. Diabetes mellitus. 2023;26(2):104-123.
5. State Register of Medicines; https://grls.rosminzdrav.ru The registered maximum selling price for the generic drug Insudive^® is more affordable than the registered maximum selling price for the original drug semaglutide. Date of access: 13.03.2025
6. Website of the company «PSK Pharma»: https://rusbiopharm.ru/
7. Russian Federation patents for inventions No. 2434019, No. 2777600, No. 2768283
8. IQVIA data, 12’2024