Lilly buys rights to novel diabetes drug
pharmafile | July 6, 2005 | News story | Research and Development, Sales and Marketing |Â Â Â
Eli Lilly has signed a licensing agreement with Japanese pharmaceutical company Taisho for TS-021, a novel treatment for type II diabetes.
Currently in phase I development, the drug is a DPP-IV inhibitor and works by stimulating the secretion of insulin when blood glucose levels are high.
The drug is in the same class as Novartis' vildagliptin (previously known as LAF237), which is currently in phase III trials and showing promising results.
The drugs work by inhibiting di-peptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV), an enzyme that breaks down the incretin hormone known as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1).
GLP-1 plays a key role in keeping glucose levels stable by stimulating the pancreas' beta cells to produce insulin in response to elevated levels of blood glucose.
The hormone also suppresses the secretion of glucagons, which signal the release of glucose from the liver. Suppressing glucagons has the added effect of slowing the rate of food absorption and reducing appetite, helping the patient control their condition more effectively.
Lilly recently launched another new diabetes treatment Byetta, which is very similar to the DPP-IV inhibitors. It works by introducing a GLP-1 analogue into the system as opposed to prolonging the activity of the naturally occurring GLP-1 already in the body.
Taisho has sold all rights for the development and commercialisation of TS-021 worldwide to Lilly except Japan and China. Taisho will manufacture the bulk active ingredient of TS-021 for Lilly and may co-promote the drug with Lilly in the US and other countries.
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