(Yicai Global) Feb. 28 -- Servier Tianjin Pharmaceutical and Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma today signed an exclusive strategic agreement to promote the type 2 diabetes treatment drug Tenelia (Teneligliptin).

Servier China will support the drug's pre-market work in the mainland and take charge of post-marketing medical promotion of the leading international hypoglycemic drug to bring one more highly efficient treatment to the country's masses of type 2 diabetes patients, per the agreement.

Type 2 diabetes has reached 11 percent among China's adults and the country has nearly 30 percent of the world's sufferers. If left unchecked, the ranks of those afflicted will rise to 150 million by 2040. The rate of diagnosis and treatment is only about one-third, and more than half who are treated do not reach the level of blood sugar control physicians recommend, per Servier China's data.

"Tenelia, with its potent and sustained action, is highly effective in lowering each of the blood glucose postprandial levels, as well as fasting blood glucose levels, with once-a-day administration," said Kanenao Kubushiro, president of Tianjin Tanabe Seiyaku.

Tenelia debuted in Japan in 2012 and has since listed in South Korea. It is known as the 'ideal hypoglycemic drug,' according to Prof. Zhang Fan from the Department of Endocrinology at Peking University Shenzhen Hospital.

"We have full confidence in our long-term cooperation with Servier China," said Sachiko Nakagawa, vice president and head of MTP's China Operations Management Department.

"China is the second-largest pharmaceutical market in the world and an important market for Mitsubishi Group on the cutting edge of the field. The two companies are working together to provide a new treatment solution that will give people with diabetes in China better control of their blood sugar," Nakagawa added.

"Servier China has long been concerned about the needs of patients in China, leading in the treatment of chronic diseases such as diabetes, providing quality and innovative drugs, and actively carrying out a variety of projects with local associations, hospitals and medical professionals to upgrade skills and strengthen patient disease management," said Stephane Mascarau, the firm's general manager. "We look forward to bringing new options for the full treatment of diabetes in China as soon as possible. Our goal is to meet the needs of individualized treatment and enable patients to achieve better therapeutic results."

Servier is an international pharmaceutical company operated by the Mecenat Servier Endowment Fund non-profit organization, which has its headquarters in Suresnes, France and a strong presence in 149 countries and a turnover of 4.2 billion euros last year. It employs 22,000 people worldwide and considers diabetes one of its top five focus areas.

Tanabe Mitsubishi Group is a major Japanese pharmaceutical company headquartered in Osaka.

Editors: Ben Armour, James Boynton