Indian Drugmaker Mankind Pharma Announced Thursday August 20, 2026 the Acquisition of Exclusive Indian Rights to Two Insulin Analogue Peptides From Chinese Biopharmaceutical Firm Chongqing Chenan Biopharmaceutical, Including Insulin Degludec (a Novo Nordisk Tresiba Equivalent, the Ultra-Long-Acting Basal Insulin Analogue With Approximately 42-Hour Duration of Action That Provides Once-Daily Basal Coverage With Reduced Nocturnal Hypoglycemia Compared to Insulin Glargine) and the Insulin Degludec Plus Insulin Aspart Fixed-Combination (Novo Nordisk Ryzodeg Equivalent, Combining Basal and Rapid-Acting Insulin Components in a Single Injection); Financial Terms Were Not Disclosed; The Agreement Strengthens Mankind's Diabetes Commercial Franchise in the World's Largest Diabetes Patient Population With Approximately 101 Million Adults Living With Diabetes in India as of 2023
Indian drugmaker Mankind Pharma announced Thursday August 20, 2026 the acquisition of exclusive Indian rights to two insulin analogue peptides from Chinese biopharmaceutical firm Chongqing Chenan Biopharmaceutical. Products in scope: insulin degludec (a Novo Nordisk Tresiba equivalent), an ultra-long-acting basal insulin analogue with approximately 42-hour duration of action that provides once-daily basal coverage with reduced nocturnal hypoglycemia compared to insulin glargine; and the insulin degludec plus insulin aspart fixed-combination (Novo Nordisk Ryzodeg equivalent), combining basal and rapid-acting insulin components in a single injection for patients requiring both basal glycemic control and prandial coverage. Financial terms were not disclosed. The agreement strengthens Mankind's diabetes commercial franchise in the world's largest diabetes patient population; India has approximately 101 million adults living with diabetes as of 2023 per International Diabetes Federation estimates, with the burden projected to reach 134 million by 2045. Both molecules are peptides: insulin degludec is a 51-amino-acid peptide analogue with a hexadecanedioic acid attachment at position B29 that enables the ultra-long-acting profile through multi-hexameric self-association at the injection site. The Chinese-Indian licensing structure follows the growing pattern of Chinese biopharmaceutical companies (Chongqing Chenan, Hengrui, Innovent) partnering with regional distribution and manufacturing partners in India, Southeast Asia, and Latin America to scale peptide-based diabetes and metabolic drug access in emerging markets.