The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) and Amylin Pharmaceuticals have entered into a research collaboration agreement to provide financial support for a series of clinical studies to investigate the feasibility of mixing pramlintide, an analog of the Symalin with insulin to treat type 1 diabetes. Pramlintide injection, an analog of the human hormone amylin marketed by Amylin as SYMLIN, is approved for use as an adjunct treatment in patients with diabetes who use mealtime insulin therapy and who have failed to achieve desired glucose control despite optimal insulin therapy. Symlin and insulin are currently not approved to be mixed and must be administered as separate injections.
In a healthy pancreas, both insulin and amylin are produced and released by the same cells. The two hormones work together to help stabilize blood glucose levels. Insulin helps the body regulate production and storage of glucose, while amylin helps control the rate at which glucose enters the blood after meals.People with type 1 diabetes produce neither insulin nor amylin, and with insulin replacement alone, even with intensive basal/bolus therapy, managing blood sugar is difficult.
Currently, patients who use pramlintide must separately administer their daily insulin therapy, either through injections or an insulin pump. A co-formulated therapy that harnesses the benefit of both hormones might better mimic the natural physiology of the pancreas and simplify dosing decisions.
