Ajinomoto And Sankyo Company, Ltd. In Joint Development, Manufacture And Marketing Of AJD101, New Diabetes Drug
Ajinomoto will retain the rights to manufacture a portion of this drug line, and will jointly participate with Sankyo in certain phases of further development of this drug.
Sankyo will pay an up-front payment of 4.6 billion yen to Ajinomoto, as well as milestone payments at certain stages of the drug's development, and post-marketing royalties based on sales.
Independently synthesized by Ajinomoto, AJD101 is a groundbreaking anti-diabetic drug possessing a completely new mechanism of action. Findings from non-clinical studies suggest that AJD101 stimulates insulin independent glucose uptake by directly activating the insulin signaling pathway.
The drug has shown glucose-lowering (or anti-hyperglycemic) action after oral administration in various animal models of diabetes. In addition to providing a novel mechanism to treat hyperglycemia, AJD101 may contribute to beta-cell rest which could be expected to alter the otherwise progressive deterioration of pancreatic function that characterizes this chronic disease. Phase I studies in humans are currently underway overseas.
Ajinomoto and Sankyo first collaborated in the marketing of the fast-acting postprandial glucose-lowering (or anti-hyperglycemic) tablets FASTIC in December 2001, and the current agreement will mark their second collaboration. Hereafter, both companies will cooperate with each other to realize a speedy marketing of AJD101.
By Chris Lui, JCN Staff Writer
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