Lilly gets nod to market locally manufactured insulin in Egypt

Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY) announced today that the Egyptian Drug Authority approved insulin glargine manufactured in partnership with Eva Pharma.

The companies launched their collaboration in 2022 to deliver a sustainable supply of high-quality, affordable human and analog insulin. It wants to bring insulin to at least 1 million people annually living with diabetes in low- to middle-income countries (LMICs), most of which are in Africa.

This approval marks the first for Eva Pharma’s insulin drug products through the collaboration. Under their agreement, Lilly supplies its active pharmaceutical ingredient for insulin at a significantly reduced price. It also provides pro-bono technology transfer to enable Eva to formulate, fill and finish insulin vials and cartridges.

Less than two years after forming the partnership, Eva completed the construction of a new biologics manufacturing facility. It also finalized insulin formulations and stability testing processes and engaged with local regulatory authorities to gain approval. The company already released the first batch of the locally manufactured insulin drug product. It also submitted its human insulin injection for regulatory approval.

“For more than a century, Lilly has been at the forefront of diabetes care, offering innovative solutions that make life better for people around the world,” said Ilya Yuffa, EVP and president of Lilly International. “Our collaboration with Eva Pharma furthers our commitment to providing sustainable and accessible medicines worldwide. We will continue to work with global health systems and industry stakeholders to address systemic barriers to healthcare and expand equitable, affordable access to our medicines to transform more people’s lives.”