In a significant move, Ahmedabad-based drug firm, Zydus Cadila, have submitted an investigational new drug (IND) application to Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for its anti-diabetic drug.

In a disclosure to the BSE, the healthcare service firm said that the application has been filed for its ZYD1 drug, used in the treatment of diabetes, Cadila Healthcare, the flagship company of Zydus Cadila group.

The drug has been designed and developed at the company's research centre.

According to the company, the said drug has shown the valuable results in pre-clinical animal models on glucose reduction and weight loss.

Commenting on this, Pankaj Patel, Chairman and MD, Zydus Cadila said: "We believe that it holds promising commercial potential as a best-in-class candidate due to unmet medical needs in the treatment of diabetes."

As per the company's records, there are over 41 million of the diabetic people living in India alone.

Experts do believe that by the year 2025, nearly half of the world's diabetic population will be from India, China, Brazil, Russia and Turkey.

The international pharmaceutical firm develops, manufactures and markets a broad range of healthcare products.

Apart from India, the group has global operations in four continents spread across USA, Europe, Japan, Brazil, South Africa and 25 other countries.