To offer Vildagliptin for diabetics in the UAE
NeoBiocon, a collaboration between Asia’s leading biopharmaceuticals company Biocon and Dr BR Shetty, Chairman of the UAE-based Neopharma, has partnered with Novartis Middle East FZE, to market Jalra (Vildagliptin) and Jalra-M (Vildagliptin + Metformin) in UAE. This partnership will help NeoBiocon expand its product offerings in the metabolics segment and will immensely benefit diabetics in UAE.
Vildagliptin is an oral anti-diabetic agent that delivers consistent and robust blood sugar control in patients with type II diabetes. It is a class of dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) inhibitors, which does not cause weight gain and have low risks for hypoglycaemia.
The overall market for oral hypoglycaemic agents (OHA) in the UAE is estimated to be $ 115 million and DPP-IV inhibitors command nearly 50 per cent share of this market. A novel product, Vildagliptin is available both as monotherapy as well as in combination with metformin. Together Vildagliptin and Vildagliptin + Metformin commands over 30 per cent of the DPP-IV market in UAE.
NeoBiocon has received approvals from the Ministry of Health-UAE for marketing Jalra and Jalra-M in the country and the launch is scheduled for January 2016. These products will be manufactured by Novartis in Europe and marketed and distributed by NeoBiocon in UAE after local release through Neopharma.
The partnership between NeoBiocon and Novartis will benefit the large and increasing number of diabetics in the UAE. This will result in enhancing access to this novel oral hypoglycaemic agent by leveraging the huge marketing network of NeoBiocon and distribution network of NMC Healthcare. Novartis will continue to market its brands Galvus & Galvusmet in the UAE.