Brazil to manufacture insulin with Ukraine

The Brazilian government announced a plan Wednesday to localize human insulin production by 2016 through a partnership with a Ukrainian lab. The Farmanguinhos lab, a government facility, will work with Ukrainian lab Indar, according to the announcement. The partnership will involve technology transfer, with which Brazil can produce insulin on its own. The Brazilian government expects to save some 800 million reais (392 million U.S. dollars) through local production. "We are working so that patients can receive a high quality drug produced in the country," said Health Minister Alexandre Padilha. "We also want to reduce the country's vulnerability in the international drug market, boost local production and strengthen the Brazilian pharmaceutical industry." According to governmental data, 7.6 million Brazilians have diabetes. The figure is expected to reach 11 million by 2030. Out of the 7.6 million patients, 900,000 depend exclusively on the public healthcare system for free insulin supply.