In Pakistan, where millions of families struggle to make ends meet and cannot afford costly treatment, a local study found that the country's biosimilar medicines deliver diabetes control and weight loss comparable to their multinational counterparts. The findings were presented on Sunday, at the concluding day of PESCON 2026, the Pakistan Endocrine Society's 24th annual conference, held at Serena Hotel, Islamabad, from October 9 to 11.
Medical experts said Pakistani alternatives cost about one-quarter of multinational brands, potentially making treatment accessible to poorer patients. They stressed that affordability was essential for people requiring continuous treatment for diabetes and obesity.
Lower prices, they said, could help patients obtain medicines regularly and sustain treatment. Consultant endocrinologist Dr. Nauman Niaz presented the research, conducted with consultant diabetologist and obesity specialist Dr. Muhammad Umar Wahab.
The 52-week study followed 1,000 Pakistani patients, with half receiving a locally manufactured GLP-1 medicine and the rest its multinational reference product. Researchers reported nearly identical improvements in blood glucose and body weight.
According to the presentation, HbA1c, a measure of average blood glucose, fell 1.42 per cent with the local medicine and 1.39 per cent with the reference product. About 97 per cent of the reduction recorded at one year had been achieved by week 26 and was sustained thereafter.
Average weight loss was approximately 5.4 kg in both groups, representing reductions of 6.3 per cent and 6.2 per cent, respectively. At least 5 per cent weight loss was achieved by 63.4 per cent of patients receiving the local medicine and 61.7 per cent receiving the international product.
Researchers also reported similar cardiometabolic changes, treatment persistence, and recorded adverse events, with 92.9 per cent of participants remaining on treatment at week 52. Dr. Niaz, calling Pakistan the "diabetes capital of the world," noted that a vast majority of patients were unable to afford modern treatments.
His presentation cited 34.5 million adults with diabetes and an adult prevalence of 31.4 per cent. Experts identified Getz Pharma as one of Pakistan's leading pharmaceutical companies offering modern GLP-1 medicines at more affordable rates.
Renowned endocrinologist Dr. S. Abbas Raza described prescribing costly branded medicine to someone unable to afford it as a "sin," calling for a sustainable model to ensure a continuous supply of required medicines.