(From left) CCM Pharmaceuticals Division chief commercial officer Billy Urudra, Leonard, and Hajah Normala pose for a photo after the launch of Basalog.
KUCHING: Chemical Company of Malaysia Bhd (CCM) has teamed up with India’s Biocon Ltd (Biocon) to address the need for affordable insulin therapy in Malaysia, launching the country’s first insulin glargine biosimilar, Basalog, yesterdaay.
The drug, a long acting 24 hours peakless human insulin analog, has met strenuous international tests and received approvals in highly-regulated markets such as Japan. It is expected to offer therapy which is cheaper and cost competitive.
“With an estimated 3.5 million diabetes patients in Malaysia, Biocon and CCM, as its marketing partner hopes to improve diabetes management in the country.
“We are committed to work together with the Malaysian authorities and professional healthcare community to assist Malaysians and the government to bring down its healthcare expenditure on diabetes with the use of this cost effective, high quality biosimilar insulin,” said Leonard Ariff Abdul Shatar, CCM’s group managing director at the launch.
Basalog offers a significant advancement in diabetic treatment for both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes patients and acts at a constant level for 24 hours.
Diabetes is a lifelong and costly burden that is only growing by pandemic proportions, with Malaysians accounting for the highest number of diabetes patients in the Asean region.
Within Malaysia, there is an estimated 3.5 million patients, and the numbers are continuing to grow exponentially with figures estimated to tip over 4.5 million by 2020.
Just as worrisome is the alarming number of younger patients joining this list with the number of 18- 35 year olds suffering from diabetes increasing by 300 per cent over the last 15 years.
Burden on diabetes-related healthcare, which in 2010 accounted for an estimated 16 per cent of the national Malaysian Healthcare budget amounting to RM2.4 billion of the Malaysian healthcare budget, threatens the overall management of this disease.
Hence, it is imperative to ensure access to high quality drugs that are affordable and just as effective to manage the burden in the treatment of diabetes.
In 2012, CCM Pharmaceuticals Sdn Bhd (CCMP), a wholly owned subsidiary of CCM, inked a strategic partnership with Biocon, Asia’s leading biopharmaceutical enterprise, giving the Company exclusive license and distribution rights to market, sell and distribute a range of insulin products in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei.
Developed by Biocon, Basalog will be exclusively distributed and marketed by CCMP, Basalog is recommended for patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes and has been approved by National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA).
Datuk Hajah Normala Abdul Samad, CCM Group Chairman officiated the launch of Basalog alongside Leonard at the Continuing Medical Education workshop, held in commemoration with World Diabetes Day.
Also present were Raman Srinivasan, Vice President & Head of Biocon Malaysia and other senior executives of Biocon.