Posted on 20/07/2006 in Pharmaceutical Company Product News Roche has exercised its option to develop and market Ipsen's anti-diabetic drug, BIM 51077.
Ipsen, a pharmaceutical business with operations in the UK, has so far developed BIM 51077 for the treatment of type two diabetes. The compound is a glucagon-like peptide-1, designed to control insulin production in response to elevated blood glucose levels.
Ipsen demonstrated the results of a phase I clinical trial at the American Diabetes Association's annual scientific meeting earlier this year, which showed an efficacy and safety profile "in-line" with the glucagon-like peptide-1 class of incretins. It is on the strength of these results that Roche made its decision to license BIM 51077 from Ipsen.
The agreement gives Roche worldwide rights, with the exception of Japan and France, where Ipsen may elect to market the product itself.
Peter Hug, head of global pharma partnering for Roche, commented: "Our decision to in-license this anti-diabetic medicine adds a very promising compound to our metabolic disease portfolio and also complements our diagnostics activities in diabetes."
"Our continued collaboration with Ipsen, based on our respective complementary strengths, has the potential to deliver treatments that will make a difference in patients' lives," he added.
Jean Luc Belingard, chairman and chief executive officer of Ipsen, concluded: "We are very excited about BIM 51077's prospects and believe that Roche is uniquely placed to successfully market this product."
In addition, a phase II study will take place in 2007 to study the efficacy and safety of a sustained-release version of the drug.
Patient UK, a health information website, describes diet and exercise as the first line treatment against type two diabetes, which mostly affects over-40s.
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