NEW YORK (Reuters) - An experimental inhaled insulin preparation called Exubera is effective in controlling blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetics over prolonged periods of time, the drug’s developers said on Tuesday.
The results, presented at the Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes in Germany, showed that over 2 years Exubera reduced blood glucose levels in patients with type II diabetes, with a fall in HbA1c levels from 9.6% to 7.7%. HbA1c in patients in the control group, who took existing drugs without Exubera, fell to 8.1%.
The two-year trial was designed to assess the efficacy of Exubera when added to sulfonylurea or metformin. Some 304 patients completed the trial.
Pfizer Inc., which is developing the drug with Sanofi-Aventis and Nektar Therapeutics, said both groups showed a slight reduction in lung function but there was no significant difference between the two groups.
Concerns about reduced lung function have hampered progress of the product. Safety concerns caused the companies to conduct additional clinical trials, and delayed regulatory filing in the United States.
MeSH Headings:Administration, Inhalation: Biguanides: Congresses: Health Care Economics and Organizations: Guanidines: Metformin: Organizations: Health CareCopyright © 2002 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.
