Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Eli Lilly and Company Statement on FDA's BYETTA(R) (Exenatide) Injection Update
SAN DIEGO and INDIANAPOLIS, Nov. 2, 2009 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and Eli Lilly and Company today issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) update on BYETTA(R) (exenatide) injection.
On October 30, the FDA approved an expanded indication for BYETTA as a stand-alone medication (monotherapy) along with diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes. In addition to the monotherapy indication, the FDA approved changes to the BYETTA Prescribing Information to incorporate updated safety information. The new label expands upon existing language regarding use of BYETTA in patients with renal impairment, which Amylin and Lilly updated in September 2007 to include additional language regarding renal adverse events. It specifies that BYETTA should not be used in patients with severe renal impairment or end-stage renal disease and should be used with caution in patients with renal transplantation. It also specifies that because BYETTA may induce nausea and vomiting with transient hypovolemia (low blood volume), treatment may worsen renal function. This update was communicated to physicians via a "Dear Healthcare Professional" letter, which is available at www.BYETTA.com.
About Diabetes
Diabetes affects more than 24 million people in the United States and an estimated 246 million adults worldwide.(i, ii) Approximately 90-95 percent of those affected have type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is the fifth leading cause of death by disease in the United States and costs approximately $174 billion per year in direct and indirect medical expenses.(iii)
About BYETTA(R) (exenatide) injection
BYETTA is the first and only FDA-approved GLP-1 receptor agonist for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. BYETTA exhibits many of the same effects as the human incretin hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). GLP-1 improves blood sugar after food intake through multiple effects that work in concert on the stomach, liver, pancreas and brain.
BYETTA provides sustained A1C control and low incidence of hypoglycemia when used alone or in combination with metformin or a thiazolidinedione, with potential weight loss. BYETTA is not a weight loss product. BYETTA was approved in April 2005 and has been used by more than one million patients since its introduction. For full prescribing information, visit www.BYETTA.com.
The most common side effects with BYETTA include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, headache, feeling jittery, and acid stomach. Nausea most commonly happens when first starting BYETTA, but may become less over time.
For Prescribing Information and Medication Guide, visit www.BYETTA.com.
Through a long-standing commitment to diabetes care, Lilly seeks to provide patients with breakthrough treatments that enable them to live longer, healthier, and fuller lives. Since 1923, Lilly has been an industry leader in pioneering therapies to help healthcare professionals improve the lives of people with diabetes, and research continues on innovative medicines to address the unmet needs of patients. For more information about Lilly's current diabetes products, visit www.lillydiabetes.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements about Amylin and Lilly. Actual results could differ materially from those discussed or implied in this press release due to a number of risks and uncertainties, including the risk that BYETTA and the revenues generated from BYETTA may be affected by competition; unexpected new data; safety and technical issues; clinical trials not confirming previous results; pre-clinical trials not predicting future results; label expansion requests not being submitted in a timely manner or receiving regulatory approval; approved label expansions not producing the results we expect, or manufacturing and supply issues. The potential for BYETTA may also be affected by government and commercial reimbursement and pricing decisions, the pace of market acceptance, or scientific, regulatory and other issues and risks inherent in the commercialization of pharmaceutical products. These and additional risks and uncertainties are described more fully in Amylin's and Lilly's most recent SEC filings including their Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Annual Reports on Form 10-K. Amylin and Lilly undertake no duty to update these forward-looking statements.
(i) The International Diabetes Federation Diabetes Atlas. Available at: http://www.idf.org/home/index.cfm?unode=3B96906B-C026-2FD3-87B73F80BC22682A. Accessed Oct. 2, 2009.
(ii) "All About Diabetes." American Diabetes Association. Available at: http://www.diabetes.org/about-diabetes.jsp. Accessed Oct. 2, 2009.
(iii) "Direct and Indirect Costs of Diabetes in the United States." American Diabetes Association. Available at: http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-statistics/cost-of-diabetes-in-us.jsp. Accessed Oct. 2, 2009.
(iv) Saydah SH, Fradkin J and Cowie CC. Poor control of risk factors for vascular disease among adults with previously diagnosed diabetes. JAMA. 2004;291:335-42.
(v) Bays HE, Chapman RH, Grandy S. The relationship of body mass index to diabetes mellitus, hypertension and dyslipidaemia: comparison of data from two national surveys. Int J Clin Pract. 2007;61:737-47.
(vi) Nutrition Recommendations and Interventions for Diabetes: a position statement of the American Diabetes Association. Diabetes Care. 2007;30 Suppl 1:S48-65.
(vii) Anderson JW, Kendall CW, Jenkins DJ. Importance of weight management in type 2 diabetes: review with meta-analysis of clinical studies. J Am Coll Nutr. 2003;22:331-9.
CONTACT: Anne Erickson of Amylin, +1-858-754-4443, cell, +1-858-349-3195,
anne.erickson@amylin.com; or Kindra Strupp of Lilly, +1-317-277-5170, cell,
+1-317-554-9577, kstrupp@lilly.com
Web site: http://www.amylin.com/
http://www.lilly.com//