Analysis on Driving Factors for China’s Insulin Market in 2019

The sales value of insulin in China is growing much faster than that of diabetes drugs. Statistics show that in 2016, the market size of diabetes drugs in China was CNY 39.70 billion, increasing by 5.68% YOY and representing a CAGR of 12.65% from 2013 to 2016; the market size of insulin in China was CNY 18.90 billion, increasing by 8.68% and representing a CAGR of 14.67% from 2013 to 2016. In the long run, China’s insulin market will continue to grow. It is estimated that the market size of insulin in China is close to CNY 70 billion. According to statistics, the sales value of insulin in China exceeded CNY 20 billion in 2017, which showed huge growth potential.

Driving Factor 1: Increasing Number of Diabetic Patients

Statistics show that the number of diabetic patients aged between 20 to 79 in China increased from 110 million in 2015 to 114 million in 2017. According to the China’s Health Statistics Yearbook 2017, the incidence of diabetes in China increased from 1.10% in 2008 to 3.50% in 2013. As a conservative estimate, the incidence of diabetes in China was around 5% in 2017.

Driving Factor 2: Increasing Utilization Rate of Insulin

The China Guidelines for Type 2 Diabetes (2017 Version) released in Jan. 2018 included insulin in the two-drug treatment of diabetes for the first time.

Driving Factor 3: Increasing Per Capita Consumption of Insulin

The per capita underconsumption of insulin leads to a high incidence of diabetes complications. According to diabetes risk assessment data, 57% of patients diagnosed with diabetes have complications. Of those with diabetes complications, 9.69% have diabetic ketosis and 7.90% have diabetic retinopathy.

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