ISLAMABAD: Pakistani biosimilar medicines for diabetes control and weight loss have shown results comparable to multinational brands at nearly one fourth of the cost, medical experts said on Sunday.<\/p>\n
The findings were shared on the concluding day of PESCON 2026, the Pakistan Endocrine Society\u2019s 24th annual conference, held at Serena Hotel, Islamabad, from October 9 to 11.<\/p>\n
Experts said the lower cost of locally manufactured alternatives could make treatment more accessible for patients from poor and lower middle-class families, many of whom are unable to afford expensive modern medicines on a regular basis.<\/p>\n
They observed that diabetes and obesity require continuous treatment, and affordability plays a critical role in whether patients are able to keep buying medicines and maintain therapy.<\/p>\n
Consultant endocrinologist Dr Nauman Niaz presented the study, which he conducted with consultant diabetologist and obesity specialist Dr Muhammad Umar Wahab. The 52-week research followed 1,000 Pakistani patients, with half receiving a locally manufactured GLP-1 medicine and the remaining patients receiving its multinational reference product.<\/p>\n
According to the presentation, both groups recorded almost the same improvement in blood glucose levels and body weight.<\/p>\n
HbA1c, which reflects average blood glucose, declined by 1.42 per cent among patients using the local medicine and by 1.39 per cent among those using the reference product.<\/p>\n
Researchers said about 97 per cent of the one-year reduction had already been achieved by week 26 and was maintained afterwards. Average weight loss was about 5.4 kilogrammes in both groups, translating into reductions of 6.3 per cent and 6.2 per cent, respectively.<\/p>\n
At least five per cent weight loss was recorded in 63.4 per cent of patients on the local medicine and 61.7 per cent of those receiving the international product.<\/p>\n
The researchers also reported comparable cardiometabolic changes, treatment persistence and adverse events in the two groups. At week 52, 92.9 per cent of participants were still continuing treatment.<\/p>\n
The study was carried out in routine clinical practice and compared one Pakistani product, described by researchers as a biosimilar, with its reference medicine. Experts said the findings offered local evidence on outcomes among Pakistani patients using the two treatments.<\/p>\n
Calling Pakistan the \u201cdiabetes capital of the world\u201d, Dr Niaz said most patients were poor or unable to pay for modern therapies. His presentation cited 34.5 million adults with diabetes in the country and an adult prevalence of 31.4 per cent.<\/p>\n
He also referred to estimates of 65 million people with metabolic disease and around 110 million who were metabolically unwell. He said medicines must be financially within reach if patients were expected to buy them regularly and control their conditions.<\/p>\n
Experts identified Getz Pharma as one of Pakistan\u2019s leading pharmaceutical companies providing modern GLP-1 medicines at more affordable rates. They said lower-cost options, when clinically appropriate, could offer a practical treatment route for poor and lower middle-class patients.<\/p>\n
Renowned endocrinologist Dr S. Abbas Raza said prescribing an expensive branded medicine to a patient who could not afford it was a \u201csin\u201d. He called for a sustainable model to ensure uninterrupted availability of medicines needed by patients.<\/p>\n
Prof Saeed A. Mahar appreciated the study and the availability of Pakistani patient data, stressing the need for more local research to support treatment decisions.<\/p>\n
Prof Khurshid Ahmad Khan thanked Pakistani pharmaceutical companies for introducing affordable and effective alternatives to costly modern medicines, saying such steps helped poorer patients manage their diseases and continue treatment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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