Bangalore: Biotech major Biocon would take its latest product, bio-insulin 'Insugen' to global markets positioning it as a "very important drug from India", its chairman and managing director Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw said today (Nov 14, 2004).

Describing 'Insugen' which it launched in Indian market last week as a "very important" product from Bangalore-based Biocon, she said the company would take it "world over as a very important drug from India."

Mazumdar-Shaw said the company would focus on diabetes care and its management. India has 3.2 crore diabetics and the number is projected to shoot up to 7.5 crore by the year 2025, according to her.

"We will launch many more insulin products," she said.

"We are committed to bring oral insulin which would be a big boon for diabetes."

Biocon is promoting 'Insugen' as the new generation bio-insulin.

Company officials said 'Insugen' is the world's first recombinant human (r-DNA) insulin using a unique Pichia Expression - a yeast expression system that secretes pro-insulin in an extra-cellular manner and thereby enables an elegant purification process for insulin.

Meanwhile, the company is also seeking to enhance the 'Insugen' brand.

Today, on the occasion of World Diabetes Day, the company organised 'Winning with Diabetes' campaign which saw former Pakistan fast bowler Wasim Akram, himself a diabetic, Mazumdar-Shaw, former badminton star Praksh Padukone and scores of others walking for diabetes awareness.