Bioton's low price diabetes drug seems set to succeed

The formula of the medicine is currently being prepared by the Pharmaceutical Institute (IF), the largest domestic medical research center. "It will be a generic drug, whose counterpart is already available in Poland, but it is very expensive. Our product will be half the price," said Wiesław Szelejewski, head of the Institute. He believes that Bioton will be able to provide the drug to a wider group of diabetics, as it can be used in treating the first stage of the illness. The plan envisages that Bioton will sell the drug throughout Eastern Europe and Asia, while IF itself - to the EU and in the future also to America. The Institute is in line to be privatized, but at present the plans have been shelved. (Parkiet, p. 3) A.F.