Market Trends of Egypt Diabetes Drugs Industry
The oral anti-diabetic drugs segment holds the highest market share in the Egypt Diabetes Drugs Market in the current year
The oral anti-diabetic drugs segment holds the highest market share of about 88.8% in the Egypt Diabetes Drugs Market in the current year.
Oral Anti-Diabetic Drugs are available internationally and are recommended for use when escalation of treatment for type 2 diabetes is required along with lifestyle management. Oral agents are typically the first medications used in treating type 2 diabetes due to their wide range of efficacy, safety, and mechanisms of action.
Anti-diabetic drugs help diabetes patients control their condition and lower the risk of diabetes complications. People with diabetes may need to take anti-diabetic drugs for their whole lives to control their blood glucose levels and avoid hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia. Oral anti-diabetic agents present the advantages of easier management and lower cost. So they became an attractive alternative to insulin with better acceptance, which enhances adherence to the treatment.
In July 2022, Zydus Lifesciences announced that it had received final approval to market Empagliflozin and Metformin Hydrochloride tablets in multiple strengths. Empagliflozin and Metformin Hydrochloride tablets are used with proper diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. They are also used to lower the risk of cardiovascular death in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and established cardiovascular disease.
The Egyptian Government launched the '100 million Seha' initiative, which seeks to screen Egyptians for non-communicable diseases like diabetes. Various healthcare companies announced their collaboration with the Egypt Ministry of Health to promote the initiative. Such initiatives are expected to create awareness among the people regarding monitoring and controlling diabetes, thereby enhancing the market prospects in the coming years.
Metformin is expected to dominate the Egypt Diabetes Drugs Market over the forecast period
Metformin is expected to dominate the Egypt Diabetes Drugs Market and register a CAGR of around 1.5% over the forecast period.
Biguanides are a class of medications used to treat type 2 diabetes. They work by reducing the production of glucose that occurs during digestion. Metformin is the only biguanide currently available in most countries for treating diabetes. Glucophage (metformin) and Glucophage XR (metformin extended release) are well-known brand names for these drugs. Others include Fortamet, Glumetza, and Riomet. Metformin is also available in combination with several other types of diabetes medications, such as sulfonylureas.
Diabetes reduces lifespan, and people with the disease are likely to experience blindness and be hospitalized for amputations, kidney failure, heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure. Metformin is the first-line choice for the management of hyperglycemia in T2DM. Besides being an important glucose-lowering agent, metformin also includes significant anti-inflammatory properties. Other options must be considered when metformin is contraindicated or not tolerated or when treatment goals are not achieved after three months of use at the maximum tolerated dose. Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors, sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors, and glucagon-like peptide-1 agonists are generally used to supplement treatment with metformin.
In Egypt, the social level plays an important role in patients' access to health care. The number of healthcare centers, hospitals, and pharmacies is very low in rural areas compared to big cities and urban areas. The financial level is a major determinant of people's access to health care, as the salaries of most employees in Egypt are not enough to afford their monthly diabetes supplies.
For students and school children with type 1 diabetes, the National Health Insurance System covers insulin, and the student pays nothing for NPH, mixed and short-acting insulins, and only 60% of the price of other types of insulin, which are usually unavailable in the pharmacies of the National Health Insurance System. However, the government is working in the direction of improving the access of patients through various initiatives.
