News on long acting Byetta
Amylin, Lilly, Alkermes Start Trial On Diabetes Drugs
DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
March 24, 2006 7:42 a.m.
Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc. (AMLN), Eli Lilly & Co. (LLY) and
Alkermes Inc. (ALKS) initiated a comparator clinical trial on long-
acting release, or LAR, versions of Byetta injections in patients
with type 2 diabetes.
The study on Byetta, a form of Exenatide, is designed to generate
safety and effectiveness data for use in a new drug application, the
companies said.
The 30-week study, with about 300 participants, will assess whether
once-weekly Exenatide LAR is at least as effective in improving
glucose control as twice-daily Byetta. Exenatide LAR hasn’t been
approved for sale in the U.S.
Amylin, Lilly and Alkermes are working together to develop a
sustained release version of Exenatide for the treatment of type 2
diabetes using Alkermes’ Medisorb technology.