GEROPHARM Insulins Will Be Manufactured in Uzbekistan

On June 17 at SPIEF'22 platform, GEROPHARM and ZUMA PHARMA signed an agreement defining the terms of technology of insulin production transfer to the manufacturing site of the Uzbekistan pharmaceutical company.

The signing ceremony was attended by Denis Manturov, Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation and Ibrohim Abdurakhmonov, Minister of the Ministry of Innovative Development of Uzbekistan.

GEROPHARM will transfer to the Uzbekistan partner the technology for the production of insulin biosimilars such as glargine, lispro, and biphasic lispro in injection pens and cartridges. In addition, the companies committed to further localise the production of rapid- and intermediate-acting human insulins and a biphasic combination product.

In 2023, the ZUMA PHARMA facilities will be upgraded and re-equipped and the technology of certain biosimilar production steps (filling, packaging, and release quality control) will be transferred. At the same time, GEROPHARM will continue exporting active pharmaceutical ingredients for the production of a co-manufactured product, components of single-use injection pen, as well as reusable injection pens.

The original cooperation term is 7 years starting from the initiation of sales of insulins which manufacture will be localised from the filling stage in Uzbekistan.

Presently, according to official data, there are about 350,000 diabetic patients in Uzbekistan. However, the real numbers may become much higher — about 2–3 mln, once the data from the screening by the Specialised Medical and Research Centre of Endocrinology are published.

Pyotr Rodionov, General Director, GEROPHARM, says, “The fact that our expertise and insulin products are appreciated and sought for in friendly countries is an evidence of the high competitiveness of the company’s technologies. Each year, the number of diabetic patients grows across the globe, and Uzbekistan is no exception. We consider it our duty to help address this burning social issue through providing patients with high-quality insulins. Another significant vector of our cooperation is interaction with patients’ and healthcare professionals’ associations. Assistance to specialists, sharing best practices, and building up dialogue with patients are integral parts of pharmaceutical companies’ activities.”

Denis Manturov, Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, says, “The agreements that were signed today are the result of the understanding between GEROPHARM and ZUMA PHARMA from Uzbekistan that were reached last April at the Innoprom forum in Tashkent. These agreements lay groundwork for the production of GEROPHARM insulins in Uzbekistan at the ZUMA PHARMA site, as well as the promotion of the jointly manufactured product in this country.”

Ibrohim Abdurakhmonov, Minister of the Ministry of Innovative Development of Uzbekistan, says, “Uzbekistan is keen to cooperate with other countries in the medical field. We are happy that Russia is our scientific partner in this area. The agreement that was just signed is a very important benchmark not just because it will ensure our patients have access to vital medicinal products. The cooperation in joint production of medicinal products will help us become less dependent on imports and create new jobs.”

Oleg Ergashev, Vice Governor of Saint Petersburg, says, “Pharmaceutical industry is one of the fastest growing sectors of social importance in the city. We produce 250 items included in the List of Vital and Essential Drugs, some are manufactured on a full-cycle basis. We have such companies as GEROPHARM that are capable to set up a full cycle of production starting from synthesising a molecule, through substance synthesis, to finished product release. Such technologies ensure our independence from imported drugs and for sure will be of interest to our foreign partners. At our end, we give full support to relations in the healthcare sphere as Saint Petersburg and Uzbekistan have been cooperating in various spheres for many years now.”

Nodir Yunusov, founder of ZUMA PHARMA, says, “With our joint project implemented, our diabetic patients will get access to high-quality insulins while our company will be the first in our country to have a rich portfolio of insulins. GEROPHARM already proved to be a reliable partner and we are confident of having brilliant prospects for our further cooperation.”