India to boost biosimilar insulin, CGM devices production

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh met with International Diabetes Federation President-elect Dr Niti Pall, and the latter highlighted that Asian and African countries "are increasingly looking to India for affordable diabetes care solutions," due to leadership in supplying cost-effective vaccines, an official statement said.

Dr Singh and Dr Pall discussed indigenous biosimilar insulin production and diabetes related indigenous biomanufacturing prospects, the Ministry of Earth Sciences said in a statement.

She pointed out that high insulin prices in many regions continue to limit access, reinforcing the need for alternative manufacturing hubs capable of delivering quality products at lower cost. "The meeting underscored the importance of strengthening India’s capabilities in insulin manufacturing, particularly biosimilar insulins and Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) instruments," the statement said, noting global concerns about future insulin availability.

Dr Paul flagged the risk of supply constraints as major multinational manufacturers increasingly shift their focus towards newer therapies such as GLP-1 drugs. She noted that insulin production globally is currently concentrated among few companies, creating supply chains and affordability challenges, especially for Type 1 diabetes patients dependent on lifelong insulin therapy.

Against this backdrop, biosimilar insulin or highly similar versions of existing insulin therapies emerged as a key area of focus as a lower cost alternative to match existing therapies in safety and efficacy.

Dr Singh acknowledged India’s pharmaceutical strengths but said domestic insulin manufacturing remains relatively limited.