Bangladesh’s leading pharmaceutical company Eskayef Pharmaceuticals Limited (SKF) has begun producing modern insulin cartridges in the country for the first time.

The production has started through an agreement with Denmark-based pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk.

As a result, modern insulin cartridges will now be more easily available to patients with diabetes at comparatively lower prices.

The information was shared at a programme held today, Tuesday, at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon in Dhaka.

The event, titled “Shabash Bangladesh: Increasing Access to Modern Insulin through Technology Transfer from Denmark,” was attended by Health Minister Sardar Sakhawat Hossain as the chief guest.

The initiative is being regarded as a major milestone in making high-quality diabetes treatment more accessible and in enhancing the country’s capacity to produce biologic medicines.

Novo Nordisk has been producing human insulin in Bangladesh since 2012, and such insulin has even been exported. However, modern insulin products—such as “Novomix” and “Novorapid”—had so far been imported from Denmark.

Through technology transfer to SKF, these modern insulin cartridges will now be produced domestically using the same technology, marking a first for Bangladesh. This will make advanced insulin more accessible and affordable. Compared to human insulin, modern insulin is more advanced and works more effectively in the body. To maintain global standards, every batch produced in Bangladesh will be quality-checked in Denmark.