Eli Lilly and Company and Boehringer Ingelheim announced a global agreement to jointly develop and commercialize a portfolio of diabetes compounds currently in mid- and late-stage development. Included are Boehringer Ingelheim’s two oral diabetes agents—linagliptin and BI10773—as well as Lilly’s two basal insulin analogues—LY2605541 and LY2963016—as well as the option to co-develop and co-commercialize 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 U.S., Europe and Japan. Boehringer Ingelheim’s BI10773, a sodium-dependent glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitor, began enrollment in Phase III clinical trials last year. It belongs to a new, emerging class of diabetes compounds that block tubular reabsorption 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. Lilly’s two basal insulin analogue candidates are LY2605541, a structurally novel basal insulin analogue, and LY2963016, a new insulin glargine product. The agreement also includes an option for Boehringer Ingelheim to co-develop and co-commercialize another Lilly diabetes molecule, an anti-TGF-beta monoclonal antibody, which is currently in Phase II of clinical testing in patients with diabetes with chronic kidney disease.
The alliance will leverage the collective scientific expertise and business capabilities of two leading research-driven pharmaceutical companies to address patient needs arising from the growing global diabetes epidemic.
