Two new diabetes drugs approved
pharmafile | May 28, 2015 | News story | Sales and Marketing | Japan, Takeda, diabetes in China, lilly
Two new diabetes offerings from Lilly and Takeda are now available for patients in the US and Japan after they were given the go-ahead by the countries’ drug regulators.
In the US the FDA approved Lilly’s Humalog U-200 KwikPen, a pre-filled pen containing a concentrated formulation of its rapid-acting insulin Humalog (insulin lispro 100 and also 200 units/millilitre). It is available to improve blood sugar control in people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
The new pen contains twice as much insulin (600 vs 300 units) and delivers the same dose in half as the older formulation in the same size cartridge. This mean patients may need fewer pen changes each month. The US approval follows the approval of Humalog 200 units/ml KwikPen in the EU in October 2014.
“Diabetes is a progressive disease that often requires increased doses of insulin over time to better control a patient’s blood sugar levels,” says David Kendall, vice president of medical affairs at Lilly Diabetes.
“Humalog U-200 KwikPen represents a new option for people with diabetes. Fewer pen changes per month may help people who require higher daily doses of mealtime insulin better fit their treatment in their daily lives.”
While Mike Mason, vice president, of Lilly Diabetes US adds the new offering “is an example of our work to improve the patient experience”.
In Japan, Takeda’s new diabetes offering is a once-weekly dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-4) inhibitor, Zafatek (trelagliptin succinate), after it was approved by the Health, Labour and Welfare Ministry.
Takeda’s diabetes products have faced several recent challenges. In May the company agreed to pay $2.7 billion to settle claims that its diabetes drug Actos (pioglitazone) increased the risk of bladder cancer.
And in April another of its diabetes drugs, Nesina (alogliptin), was the subject of an FDA probe into whether it is linked with heart problems – and now carries label warnings to this effect.
“By adding Zafatek as an important new treatment option to our diabetes portfolio in Japan, we believe we are providing more suitable treatment options for the each patient’s individual needs,” says Masato Iwasaki, who is director and president of Takeda Japan Pharma.
“Zafatek is the world’s first once weekly oral type 2 diabetes treatment option. We hope it becomes an important therapeutic option for patients.”
Lilian Anekwe
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