SOUTH AFRICA DIABETES DRUGS MARKET - GROWTH, TRENDS, COVID-19 IMPACT, AND FORECASTS (2022 - 2027)

SOUTH AFRICA DIABETES DRUGS MARKET - GROWTH, TRENDS, COVID-19 IMPACT, AND FORECASTS (2022 - 2027)

The South Africa Diabetes Drugs Market is set to witness a CAGR of more than 2.5% during the forecast period 2022-2027. The market is estimated to reach a value of more than USD 380 million by 2027.

The COVID-19 pandemic positively impacted the Diabetes Drugs market growth in South Africa. Patients with diabetes, infected with COVID-19 may experience elevated blood glucose, abnormal glucose variability, and diabetic complications. The prevalence of diabetes in people with COVID-19 caused a significant increase in severity and mortality of COVID-19 in people with either type 1 (T1DM) or type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), especially in association with poor glycemic control. While new-onset hyperglycemia and new-onset diabetes (both T1DM and T2DM) have been increasingly recognized in the context of COVID-19 and have been associated with worse outcomes. To avoid aggravation, a patient's blood glucose should be monitored and managed regularly.

Diabetic drugs are medicines developed to stabilize and control blood glucose levels amongst people with diabetes. Diabetic drugs are commonly used to manage diabetes. Diabetic drugs have been potential candidates for treating diabetic patients affected by SARS-CoV-2 infection during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to IDF Diabetes Atlas 2021, one in nine adults in South Africa are living with diabetes. 73 million adults (20-79) are living with diabetes in the IDF MENA Region in 2021. This figure is estimated to increase to 95 million by 2030. Diabetes is associated with many health complications. Patients with diabetes require many corrections throughout the day to maintain nominal blood glucose levels, such as administering additional insulin or ingesting additional carbohydrates by monitoring their blood glucose levels. Diabetes poses an emerging healthcare burden across the country and is one of the leading causes of premature death, morbidity, and loss of economic growth.

Therefore, owing to the aforementioned factors the studied market is anticipated to witness growth over the analysis period.

Key Market TrendsThe Oral Anti-Diabetic Drugs Segment Held the Highest Market Share in the South Africa Diabetes Drugs Market in 2021

The Oral Anti-Diabetic Drugs Segment held the highest market share of about 74% in 2021 and is expected to register a CAGR of about 2% with a revenue of around USD 278 million.

Oral Anti-Diabetic Drugs have been available internationally and are recommended for use when escalation of treatment for type 2 diabetes is required along with lifestyle management. Oral agents are typically the first medications used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes due to their wide range of efficacy, safety, and mechanisms of action. Antidiabetic drugs help diabetes patients to keep their condition under control and lower the risk of diabetes complications. People with diabetes may need to take antidiabetic drugs for their whole lives to control their blood glucose levels and avoid hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia. Oral anti-diabetic agents present the advantages of easier management and lower cost, so they became an attractive alternative to insulin with better acceptance, which enhances adherence to the treatment.

In July 2022, Zydus Lifesciences announced that it has received final approval to market Empagliflozin and Metformin Hydrochloride tablets in multiple strengths. Empagliflozin and Metformin Hydrochloride tablets are used with proper diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. They are also used to lower the risk of cardiovascular death in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and established cardiovascular disease.

In South Africa, diabetes is the fastest growing disease, and the country has a high number of diabetic patients. The prevalence of diabetes is growing among all ages in South Africa, which can be attributed to the increasing obese population, along with an unhealthy diet and a sedentary lifestyle. When diabetes is undetected or inadequately treated, people with diabetes are at risk of serious and life-threatening complications, such as heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, blindness, and lower-limb amputation. These result in reduced quality of life and higher healthcare costs and lead to a greater need for access to care. The rising prevalence of diabetes and obesity, growing awareness of diabetic care, healthcare expenditure, and technological advancements are a few factors that are further driving the market in South Africa.

Due to the early age and longer diabetes duration, the youth is at risk of developing diabetes at a younger age, which lessens their quality of life, shortens life expectancy, and increases healthcare costs to society. One of the most effective ways to decrease the prevalence of diabetes in South Africa is to educate citizens and encourage healthy decision-making. South Africa is currently working towards this goal. One recent preventative measure taken by the South African government is the implementation of a sugar tax. By charging more for sugary drinks and foods, the government is fighting obesity and helping citizens make more conscious decisions. South Africa briefly launched a Diabetes Prevention Programme (DPP). The DPP aims to integrate intervention treatments into a culturally relevant context through household questionnaires and group gatherings for at-risk individuals.

Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist Segment is Expected to Dominate the South Africa Diabetes Drugs Market

Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist Segment is expected to dominate the South Africa Diabetes Drugs Market and register a CAGR of more than 10.5% during the forecast period.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) are a class of medications used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and some drugs are also approved for obesity. One of the benefits of this class of drugs over older insulin secretagogues, such as sulfonylureas or meglitinides, is that they have a lower risk of causing hypoglycemia. Besides being important glucose-lowering agents, GLP-1RAs have significant anti-inflammatory and pulmonary protective effects and an advantageous impact on gut microbes’ composition. Therefore, GLP-1RAs have been potential candidates for treating patients affected by COVID-19 infection, with or even without type 2 diabetes, as well as excellent antidiabetic (glucose-lowering) agents during COVID-19 pandemic times.

Diabetes South Africa (DSA), Society for Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes of South Africa (SEMDSA), and Youth with Diabetes (YWD) are the various organizations in South Africa working towards helping diabetes patients. DSA is a nonprofit that centers around mobilizing volunteers to demand better treatment for those with diabetes and focuses on educating citizens and lobbying the government for better facilities and cheaper healthcare. Further, SEMDSA researches the genetic sources and causes of diabetes. This organization also promotes high standards of treatment and encourages the widespread availability of medicine. The organizations are promoting the allocation of an increased budget dedicated to funding all aspects of diabetes care and providing a system for better coordination with the Council of Medical Schemes (CMS), the organization in charge of reimbursement, to limit out-of-pocket payments and prevent increased expenditure for patients.

The WHO Global Diabetes Compact focuses on reducing obesity and emphasizes improving the access to affordable health services and medicines for early diagnosis, and treatment of diabetes. Such initiatives are expected to create awareness among the people regarding the monitoring and control of diabetes, thereby enhancing the market prospects in the years to come.

Competitive Landscape

The South Africa Diabetes Drugs Market is consolidated, with major manufacturers namely Sanofi, Novo Nordisk, and AstraZeneca. A major share of the market is held by manufacturers that are concomitant with strategy-based M&A operations and are constantly entering the market to generate new revenue streams and boost existing ones. These measures taken by the market players will ensure a competitive marketplace, therefore, forcing the companies to experiment with more new technologies.

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