In Q4 2013, the Medsintez plant, for the first time in Russia, will begin to produce disposable insulin syringe pens for patients with diabetes mellitus. The price of a set of five pens will be approximately 600-700 roubles; a similar set from a foreign manufacturer costs 800 roubles. On prescription, residents of the Sverdlovsk region will be able to get them for free.

EKATERINBURG, Aug. 20 - RIA Novosti, Olga Erachina. The Medsintez plant (Novouralsk city, a member of the Ural Biopharmaceutical Cluster non-profit partnership), for the first time in Russia, is going to start producing disposable insulin syringe pens for patients with diabetes in the fourth quarter of 2013, according to  Alexander Petrov, a representative of the Cluster Supervisory Board, a member of the State Duma Health Committee.

"This is the development of our Ural guys. It has been patented by them <...> Drug-addict-type syringes will finally disappear. I think, everybody saw them. Actually, these are insulin syringes for diabetics. Vials, cartridges and reusable pens will be things of the past," Petrov told at a press conference and explained that a disposable pen cannot be reused after it runs out of insulin.

Parts for the syringe pens will be produced in Russia, while the substance - in France. The NovouralskMedsintez plant will be able to provide insulin to 300 million people. As the member of the Supervisory Board pointed out, the insulin syringe pen production project received the Skolkovo Project status.

He noted that prices for domestic pens will be lower than those for pens from foreign manufacturers. So, the price of a set of five pens will be approximately 600-700 roubles; while foreign manufacturers sell a similar set for 800 roubles. On prescription, residents of the Sverdlovsk region will be able to get the insulin pens for free.

According to Petrov, the manufacturer plans to export its syringe pens to EU countries, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Angola and other states.