With a rising demand for antidiabetic drugs in India, Indian pharma companies are stating they are trying to produce novel and innovative approaches to meet the unmet demand. Several pharmaceutical experts have stated that this surge in the demand for antidiabetic agents after cardiac drugs corresponds with the increasing number of diabetic patients in the country. Diabetes is prevalent in India primarily due to overweight and obesity, as well as unhealthy lifestyle choices.

According to pharma experts and analysts, most Indian pharma companies pioneered the approach for the management of type 2 diabetes (T2D), and they are working to provide a more effective option for the diabetic population. At present, nine Indian companies are involved in the development of T2D drugs. However, the Union government′s addition of several anti-diabetic drugs to the National List of Essential Medicine (NLEM) to increase access to diabetic therapy has fueled the fire. There has been a stark rise in the antidiabetic market, even though the market is already crowded.

However, the development of antidiabetic agents is a very critical process in comparison to drugs for other metabolic diseases. Dr. Alok Malik, EVP and Business Head, India Formulations, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd., stated that diabetes is a silent killer. Insulin resistance in diabetes is associated with possible ramifications for end-stage renal disease, microvascular complications, organ damage, and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Therefore, significant research and development efforts are globally directed to find newer therapies for the treatment of diabetes.

Dr. Mallik added that multiple critical quality attributes have to be checked and considered during the development of drugs, such as physio-chemical properties of drugs like solubility, particle size, hygroscopicity, drug-drug interaction, drug–excipient interaction, degradation pathway, etc. Meanwhile, according to US FDA guidelines, pharmaceutical companies must ensure that a broader range of patients is included in clinical trials on diabetes drugs in development to demonstrate renal and cardiovascular benefits.

Additionally, the pharma companies have to ensure that the quality of their drugs has no adverse effect on the doctor-patient relationship. In India, the relationship between a doctor and their patient and the standardization of the therapeutic process determine the course of medication. Hence, pharma companies must maintain their product quality and inform doctors and clinicians about any new and innovative approaches for capturing the targeted population.