34
VOLUME 8 NUMBER 1 • MARCH 2011
INDUSTRY NEWS
SA JOURNAL OF DIABETES & VASCULAR DISEASE
Industry News
Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly and Company announce strategic
alliance to bring new diabetes treatments to patients worldwide
• Major diabetes care agreement centres
on four pipeline compounds representing
several of the largest and most promising
product classes.
• Companies will jointly develop and com-
mercialise a pipeline of oral diabetes agents
and basal insulin analogues. The alliance
also includes the option to co-develop and
co-commercialise an anti-TGF-beta mono-
clonal antibody.
• Boehringer Ingelheim’s innovative late-
stage diabetes pipeline drives its expansion
into a new therapeutic area, supplemented
by two basal insulin analogues, currently
under development from Lilly.
• Agreement furthers Lilly’s commitment
to offer one of the broadest portfolios in
diabetes care and provide, together with
Boehringer Ingelheim, more options for
people with diabetes, their healthcare pro-
viders and payers.
• Boehringer Ingelheim hosted a media event
and Lilly hosted an investor conference call
to discuss the content and benefits of the
alliance.
Boehringer Ingelheim (Germany and Indian-
apolis, USA) and Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:
LLY) recently announced a global agreement to
jointly develop and commercialise a portfolio of
diabetes compounds currently in mid- and late-
stage development. Included are Boehringer
Ingelheim’s two oral diabetes agents, linagliptin
and BI10773, and Lilly’s two basal insulin ana-
logues, LY2605541 and LY2963016, as well as
the option to co-develop and co-commercial-
ise Lilly’s anti-TGF-beta monoclonal antibody.
Linagliptin is a dipeptidyl peptidase-4
(DPP-4) inhibitor discovered by Boehringer
Ingelheim and being developed as an oral
once-daily tablet for the treatment of type 2
diabetes. It is currently under regulatory review
in the USA, Europe and Japan. Boehringer
Ingelheim’s BI10773, a sodium-dependent glu-
cose co-transporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitor, began
enrolment in phase III clinical trials last year. It
belongs to a new, emerging class of diabetes
compounds that block tubular re-absorption of
glucose in the kidney. Currently there are no
SGLT-2 inhibitors approved for use.
Lilly’s two basal insulin analogue candidates
are expected to enter phase III clinical testing
in 2011. These are LY2605541, a structurally
novel basal insulin analogue, and LY2963016,
a new insulin glargine product. The agree-
ment also includes an option for Boehringer
Ingelheim to co-develop and co-commercialise
another Lilly diabetes molecule, an anti-TGF-
beta monoclonal antibody, which is currently
in phase II of clinical testing in patients with
diabetes and chronic kidney disease.
The alliance will leverage the collective sci-
entific expertise and business capabilities of
two leading research-driven pharmaceutical
companies to address patient needs arising
from the growing global diabetes epidemic.
‘We are very excited about this new and
extensive alliance with Boehringer Ingelheim,
with whom we have partnered successfully
in the past’, said John C Lechleiter, PhD, Lilly
chairman and chief executive officer. ‘Work-
ing together, we will comprise one of the most
robust diabetes pipelines in the pharmaceuti-
cal industry. For Lilly, this alliance expands our
range of offerings for people with diabetes,
strengthens our diabetes care capabilities
and offers the prospect of near-term revenue
opportunities as we address the upcoming loss
of patent exclusivity for several of our products.’
‘Boehringer Ingelheim and Lilly have agreed
to form a strategic alliance in diabetes at a time
point when we at Boehringer Ingelheim are
entering another new therapeutic area with
innovative compounds from our own research
and development. This cooperation will give
Boehringer Ingelheim and Lilly the combined
benefits of Lilly’s expertise in the diabetes
market and two basal insulin analogues, as
well as Boehringer Ingelheim’s rich and inno-
vative late-stage pipeline’, said Prof Andreas
Barner, chairman of the Board of Managing
Directors of Boehringer Ingelheim.
For further information please contact: Ms
Sue Thomas (Medical Information Manager)
on +27 11 348 2514 or Dr Kevin Ho (Medical
Director) on +27 11 348 2517.
1.
The International Diabetes Federation Diabetes
Atlas. Available at:
content/some-285-million-people-worldwide-will-
live-diabetes-2010. Accessed September 10, 2010.
2.
Diabetes Statistics. American Diabetes Association.
Available at:
-
basics/diabetes-statistics/. Accessed September 10,
2010.
3.
Direct and Indirect Costs of Diabetes in the United
States. American Diabetes Association. Available
at:
resources/cost-of-diabetes.html. Accessed Septem-
ber 10, 2010.
4.
Saydah SH, Fradkin J, Cowie CC. Poor control of
risk factors for vascular disease among adults with
previously diagnosed diabetes.
J Am Med Assoc
2004;
291
: 335–342.
Diabetes alliance between Novo Nordisk and Accu-Chek
®
N
ovo Nordisk (Pty) Ltd and Roche Diabetes
Care – Accu-Chek
®
are proud to announce
that they have formed a partnership to
improve the overall management of patients
with diabetes through a comprehensive prod-
uct and support package. These two leading
companies aim to change diabetes care in
South Africa and strengthen the way forward
for those people living with diabetes.
Mr David Broomfield, head of Marketing
and Sales at Novo Nordisk says ‘our leader-
ship position in diabetes is stronger than ever,
not only in terms of absolute sales and market
shares of insulin (private market IMS), but also
in increased support to people who care for
or live with diabetes. With a strong diabetes
pipeline, we are geared to continue to be the
preferred partner in diabetes’.
Dr Mary Atkinson, head of Diabetes Care
at Roche says ‘we are dedicated to empower
people living with diabetes to lead spontane-
ous, active and fulfilled lives’. Accu-Chek is the
market leader both locally and globally in blood
glucose monitoring systems, and according to
a recent customer survey, Accu-Chek Active is
the most frequently recommended blood glu-
cose meter among healthcare professionals in
South Africa.
Both companies are confident that the
patient and healthcare professional will be the
beneficiaries of optimised and efficient delivery
of diabetes management solutions.
For further information please contact: Zella
Young, Novo Nordisk (Pty) Ltd on: 011 202-
0500 or e-mail:
. Web-
site:
Corine Muller, Roche Diabetes Care, Roche
Diagnostics on: 011 504-4600 or e-mail:
Website: www.
accu-chek.co.za
