Genovate Biotechnology recently announced that DBPR108, a new Class 1 diabetes drug developed through a collaborative industry alliance led by the company and including China Chemical & Pharmaceutical, Yung Shin Pharmaceutical, TTY Biopharm, NANG KUANG PHARMACEUTICAL, and Taiwan Biotech, has successfully obtained marketing authorization from China’s National Medical Products Administration via its licensed partner, CSPC Pharmaceutical Group. With this approval, the companies are poised to tap into a lucrative market valued in the billions. Genovate is set to recognize milestone payments in Q1, with revenue-sharing agreements to follow as the drug enters the market.
DBPR108 (Pruliflozitin) is a novel DPP-4 inhibitor designed to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes. The drug features long-lasting efficacy, a low risk of hypoglycemia, minimal impact on body weight, high safety, and few side effects, all under the protection of robust patent advantages. Initially spearheaded by Genovate, this groundbreaking drug was developed in collaboration with an industrial alliance of six leading domestic pharmaceutical companies and research institutions such as the National Health Research Institutes (NHRI).
Chao Yu-Sheng, former director of NHRI’s Institute of Biotechnology and Medicine, highlighted DBPR108 as a testament to Taiwanese innovation. He emphasized that its successful international approval demonstrates Taiwan’s capability to develop impactful global pharmaceuticals.
Genovate also noted that DBPR108 received a three-year NT$150 million subsidy from Taiwan’s Executive Yuan under its “Biotechnology Promotion Program.” The drug was successfully granted approval for Phase I clinical trials in Taiwan and the U.S. before Genovate partnered with CSPC Pharmaceutical Group’s subsidiary, 奇製藥技術（石家莊）有限公司, to conduct further formulation development and clinical trials in China. After 12 years of research and development, the drug has now achieved marketing approval in China.
According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), approximately 537 million adults (ages 20-79) worldwide were living with diabetes in 2021, representing a prevalence rate of 10%, or one in every ten adults. By 2030, this number is expected to rise to 643 million. Notably, China leads the world with 141 million diabetes patients, followed by India and Pakistan in second and third place, respectively. The United States ranks fourth with 32.2 million patients. By 2045, the top three rankings are expected to remain unchanged. In 2021, global health expenditures related to diabetes amounted to $966 billion USD, with the U.S. and China representing the two largest pharmaceutical markets. By 2030, global expenditures are projected to reach $1.03 trillion USD.
Resource: 健亞等六公司開發糖尿病新藥DBPR108 成功取得大陸藥證
