German drugmaker Merck KgaA (MKGAY.PK) announced a collaboration with Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY) for promotion of the type 2 diabetes drug Glucophage or metformin hydrochloride under different formulations in China.
As per terms of the deal, Merck and Bristol-Myers Squibb will co-promote Glucophage in China through a profit-sharing arrangement. Glucophage has been marketed by Bristol-Myers Squibb-SASS in China since 1999.
Merck said that the two companies will utilize their existing resources and complementary strengths, with Bristol-Myers Squibb-SASS continuing to manufacture Glucophage's IR (immediate release) formulation.
The collaboration will seek to expand the geographic distribution of Glucophage as well as provide diabetes-related health and medical information including education for health professionals. In addition, the co-promotion will significantly increase outreach to hospitals.
Other terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
According to a recent estimate by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), China nowhas the most people with diabetes of any country in the world. It has become a major public health problem in China with more than 90 million people suffering from the disease. Current estimates are that more than 60% of patients with type 2 diabetes are undiagnosed, possibly due to a combination of poor public awareness and limited opportunities for diagnosis.
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April 17, 2026 15:29 ET The ongoing conflict in the Middle East continues to raise concerns for policymakers who worry about the impact of the supply shock and high energy prices on the real economy. Producer price data and various survey results on the housing market were the main news from the U.S. this week. In Europe, industrial production data for the euro area gained attention. GDP figures out of China and the policy move by the Singapore central bank were in focus in Asia.