Bioton-SciGen deal opens door to Chinese insulin market

"We have just signed a joint venture contract in China," said Wiesław Walendziak, Bioton's supervisory board member. Bioton and SciGen are to take a controlling stake in a Chinese company which is to construct a plant in Hefei for the production of human insulin. They will cooperate with China's Hefei Life Science & Technology Park. Bioton hopes to see the launch of production within a year and a half. Cooperation with a local partner will allow all the required permits for the production of insulin in China to be acquired faster. The current market value of insulin in China is worth $250 million, which is set to grow to $700 million within five years. Bioton representatives announced plans to control 15% of the market in 2009.  (Puls Biznesu, p. 5) A.K.