Chennai: The number of diabetics in India will go up to 5.72 crore in the year 2025 from the present 3.70 crore and in Chennai, one among five are suffering from the disease, a top executive of Aventis Pharma Limited, a pharmaceutical major in India, said on September 30, quoting World Health Organisation (WHO) statistics.

Diabetes was the fourth leading cause for death in the world today, Sandeep Bhattacharya, director, commercial operations of the company told reporters while speaking about the launch of 'Lantus', the world's first and only once a day, 24-hour basal insulin injection in the country.

After Germany, United States and the United Kingdom, India was the fourth country in which Lantus had been introduced in July in 2003, after receiving green signal from leading diabetologists of the country, he said.

Bhattacharya explained that the new product would have a 24-hour action, as it would "steadily release" insulin, ensuring slower absorption and long lasting effects. It would reduce the risk of 'hypoglycaemia' (sudden dropping of sugar level in blood), besides improving glycaemic control and reducing the risk of diabetes-led complications, Bhattacharya claimed.

PTI