Biocon Makes History with UK Approval of Liraglutide Diabetes Treatment

On March 27, 2024, Biocon Ltd informed that the company got approval for a diabetes drug in the UK.

Details of the Drug Approval 

On Wednesday, global biopharmaceuticals company Biocon Ltd stated in an exchange filing that the company got acceptance from the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), U.K., for a diabetes drug. The drug was filed via the company’s European partner, Zentiva.

Regarding the same, the company stated, “It has received approval from the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), U.K., for its complex formulation Liraglutide (6mg/ml solution for injection in pre-filled pen), which was filed through its European partner, Zentiva.”

The company further added that the drug they got approval for is Liraglutide, which is a drug-device combination formulation used in the treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. It is a disorder in which the body does not produce enough or respond normally to insulin. This causes blood sugar (glucose) levels to be abnormally high.

Notably, Biocon is the first generics company to receive approval for a diabetes drug, Liraglutide, in the United Kingdom.

The CEO and MD of Biocon Ltd, Siddharth Mittal, said: “The approval of Liraglutide, a vertically integrated product, is an important milestone for us. Being the first generic Liraglutide approved in a major regulated/ICH market, it strengthens our leadership in delivering many ‘firsts’ on complex drug products such as bTrastuzumab, bPegfilgrastim, and the first interchangeable biosimilar Insulin Glargine, approved by the U.S. FDA.

He further added, “The approval is also a testament to the Company’s strong focus on GLPs and peptides as important future growth drivers for the generics business. Our efforts will now be directed towards expeditiously commercialising this asset in the U.K., in partnership with Zentiva.”

The CEO of Zentiva, Steffen Saltofte, said that the partnership with Biocon on Liraglutide reaffirms the strong position of Zentiva in the area of diabetes and is a prerequisite to enter new therapeutic areas, like obesity.

On March 28, 2024, the share price of Biocon Ltd opened at ₹260.00, touching the day’s high at ₹263.30, as of 9:56 AM on the NSE.

About Biocon Ltd

Biocon Limited is a global pharmaceutical company that is involved in the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, medicinal chemicals and botanical products.

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