Insulin News and Research

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Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert glucose, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. Insulin allows cells to use glucose for fuel and is secreted by beta cells in the islets of Langerhans. The release of insulin from the pancreas is stimulated by increased blood glucose, vagal nerve stimulation, and other factors. Insulin is obtained from various animals and available in a variety of preparations. Commercial insulin preparations differ in a number of ways, including differences in the animal species from which they are obtained; their purity, concentration, and solubility; and the time of onset and duration of their biologic action. An oral hypoglycemic agent is not a form of insulin therapy.

New asthma therapy shows promise for patients who do not respond to steroid treatments

A new nonsteroidal, anti-inflammatory therapy made from a human protein significantly decreases disease signs of asthma in mice, opening the possibility of a new asthma therapy for patients who do not respond to current steroid treatments. Results of this therapy in an animal model were presented at The Endocrine Society's 92nd Annual Meeting in San Diego.

2 Jul 2010

Studies on VIAject and Vialog presented at 70th American Diabetes Association sessions

Studies of a more-rapid-acting injectable human insulin formulation (VIAject®) in the treatment of type 1 and type 2 diabetes and of a novel insulin analog formulation (Vialog™) in an animal model of diabetes were reported this week in three poster presentations at the 70th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association in Orlando, Florida. The findings are based upon results from recent clinical and preclinical studies sponsored by Biodel Inc..

1 Jul 2010

Olive oil, Mediterranean diet modify expression of atherosclerosis-related genes

Everyone knows olive oil and a Mediterranean diet are associated with a lower risk for cardiovascular disease, but a new research report published in the July 2010 print issue of the FASEB Journal offers a surprising reason why: These foods change how genes associated with atherosclerosis function.

1 Jul 2010

Researchers report no increased rate of heart attack in patients taking rosiglitazone

The diabetes drug rosiglitazone has been under intense scrutiny since a 2007 study in the New England Journal of Medicine looked at more than 40 clinical trials and linked the drug's use with increased risk of heart attack and death from heart disease.

1 Jul 2010

BIDMC physician-scientist receives Young Investigator Award to research on prostate cancer

Akash Patnaik, MD, PhD, a physician-scientist in the Hematology/Oncology Divison at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Instructor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School has received a Young Investigator Award from The Prostate Cancer Foundation. The three-year $225,000 award, one of 21 made to young scientists from across the U.S. and Canada, is designed to encourage the most innovative minds in cancer research to focus their careers on prostate cancer.

1 Jul 2010

Biospherics acquires worldwide patent rights to Dtagatose from UKRF

Spherix Incorporated, an innovator in biotechnology for therapy in diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and atherosclerosis; and providers of technical and regulatory consulting services to food, supplement, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Biospherics Incorporated, has signed a license agreement with the University of Kentucky Research Foundation (UKRF).

1 Jul 2010

Fero Industries closes acquisition of rights related to production, marketing and distribution of Sucanon

Fero Industries, Inc. is pleased to announce that it has closed the acquisition of certain intellectual property and other associated rights related to the production, marketing, and distribution of Sucanon, a treatment for Type II diabetes.

1 Jul 2010

Sensor integrated insulin pump for better blood sugar control

Adding a continuous blood sugar level sensor to an insulin pump helps patients with type 1 diabetes achieve better blood sugar control compared to the common standard of care, multiple daily insulin injections, concludes a study published on-line today in the New England Journal of Medicine.

30 Jun 2010

Medtronic's sensor-augmented insulin pump therapy provides superior glucose control, confirms STAR 3 study

In the longest and largest randomized, controlled study of sensor-augmented insulin pump therapy in type 1 diabetes, adult and pediatric patients using the Medtronic MiniMed Paradigm® REAL-Time System achieved better glucose control without an increase in hypoglycemia compared to multiple daily insulin injections (MDI), the most common approach to care today.

30 Jun 2010

Metabolex, Sanofi-Aventis sign global license deal to develop GPR119 for type 2 diabetes treatment

Metabolex and Sanofi-Aventis announced today that they have entered into a global license and development agreement for the research, development, manufacture and commercialization of small molecules that modulate the G-protein coupled receptor 119 (GPR119), a receptor in the gut and pancreas that interacts with bioactive lipids to stimulate glucose-dependent incretin and insulin secretion.

30 Jun 2010

2 new studies add to evidence of risks with diabetes drug Avandia as FDA prepares to debate it's safety

The Washington Post: Two new studies provide evidence "that the diabetes drug Avandia increases the risk of heart problems and strokes, renewing questions about the safety of the medication. ... The new research, released Monday, should prompt the Food and Drug Administration to remove the drug from the market, according to the researchers who led the analyses and several drug-safety advocates.

30 Jun 2010

Amylin presents improved indices of beta-cell function after three years of BYETTA(R) therapy

Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Eli Lilly and Company today announced results from a study comparing the effect of long-term treatment with either BYETTA® (exenatide) injection or Lantus® (insulin glargine) on overall beta-cell function. (Beta cells are cells in the pancreas that produce insulin.) Three years of BYETTA therapy improved indices of beta-cell function assessed four weeks after discontinuing therapy. These findings were presented at the 70th Annual Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) in Orlando, Fla.

30 Jun 2010

FDA grants IND regulatory clearance for Phase I/II clinical trial of AAT in type 1 diabetics

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Investigational New Drug (IND) regulatory clearance to initiate a Phase I/II clinical trial evaluating Alpha-1 Antitrypsin (AAT) in type 1 diabetics, based on research by Dr. Eli Lewis of Israel's Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.

30 Jun 2010

Vitae earns $14M milestone payment from Boehringer Ingelheim

Vitae Pharmaceuticals, Inc., an integrated discovery and development company, today announced that it has earned a $14 million clinical milestone payment from Boehringer Ingelheim, one of the world's 20 leading pharmaceutical companies. Vitae's 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD)-1 is targeted for the treatment of diabetes and metabolic syndrome-related diseases in a strategic alliance with Boehringer Ingelheim. The payment recognizes Boehringer Ingelheim's recent advancement of a small molecule inhibitor of 11beta-HSD-1 into Phase I clinical trials.

29 Jun 2010

Rosiglitazone therapy associated with increased risk for heart attack: Study

Eleven years after the introduction of the diabetes drug rosiglitazone, data from available clinical trials demonstrate an increased risk for heart attack associated with its use and suggest an unfavorable benefit-to-risk ratio, according to a report posted online today that will appear in the July 26 print issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

29 Jun 2010

Lantus and Apidra improve outcomes, decrease glycemic variability: Study

Sanofi-aventis announced today results of a study which demonstrated that patients using Lantus® (insulin glargine [rDNA origin] injection) once-daily and Apidra® (insulin glulisine [rDNA origin] injection) before meals reported improved patient reported outcomes and decreased glycemic variability versus premix analog insulin. Two abstracts from this study were highlighted at the American Diabetes Association's 70th Annual Scientific Sessions (ADA).

29 Jun 2010

Serotonin promotes beta cell expansion during pregnancy, offers possible cure for type 1 diabetes

Researchers funded by JDRF have discovered that the hormone, serotonin, may be involved in the increase of insulin-producing beta cells during pregnancy.

29 Jun 2010

Dapagliflozin in addition to insulin improves glycemic control in type 2 diabetics

Results from a 24-week Phase 3 clinical study demonstrated that the addition of the investigational drug dapagliflozin achieved reductions in the primary endpoint, glycosylated hemoglobin level (HbA1c), in inadequately controlled type 2 diabetes patients who were treated with insulin (with or without oral anti-diabetes medications (OADs)), compared to placebo plus insulin (with or without OADs).

29 Jun 2010

School-based program lowers obesity and risk factors for type 2 diabetes in high risk youth

An intervention in middle schools lowered the obesity rate in students at highest risk for type 2 diabetes, those who started out overweight or obese in sixth grade, an NIH-funded study has found. However, schools that implemented the program did not differ from comparison schools in the study's primary outcome-the prevalence of overweight and obesity combined-which had declined 4 percent in both groups of schools by the end of the three-year study.

29 Jun 2010

Artificial pancreas holds promise for treating Type 1 diabetes

Shawna Wood would like nothing better than to go back to bed for another 24 hours of perfect blood sugar control. The 50-year old Wilsonville, Ore. woman has Type 1 diabetes, and she recently took part in a clinical trial of an automated replacement for her pancreas, which stopped producing insulin 9 years ago.

29 Jun 2010

Insulin News and Research

Further Reading

New asthma therapy shows promise for patients who do not respond to steroid treatments

Studies on VIAject and Vialog presented at 70th American Diabetes Association sessions

Olive oil, Mediterranean diet modify expression of atherosclerosis-related genes

Researchers report no increased rate of heart attack in patients taking rosiglitazone

BIDMC physician-scientist receives Young Investigator Award to research on prostate cancer

Biospherics acquires worldwide patent rights to Dtagatose from UKRF

Fero Industries closes acquisition of rights related to production, marketing and distribution of Sucanon

Sensor integrated insulin pump for better blood sugar control

Medtronic's sensor-augmented insulin pump therapy provides superior glucose control, confirms STAR 3 study

Metabolex, Sanofi-Aventis sign global license deal to develop GPR119 for type 2 diabetes treatment

2 new studies add to evidence of risks with diabetes drug Avandia as FDA prepares to debate it's safety

Amylin presents improved indices of beta-cell function after three years of BYETTA(R) therapy

FDA grants IND regulatory clearance for Phase I/II clinical trial of AAT in type 1 diabetics

Vitae earns $14M milestone payment from Boehringer Ingelheim

Rosiglitazone therapy associated with increased risk for heart attack: Study

Lantus and Apidra improve outcomes, decrease glycemic variability: Study

Serotonin promotes beta cell expansion during pregnancy, offers possible cure for type 1 diabetes

Dapagliflozin in addition to insulin improves glycemic control in type 2 diabetics

School-based program lowers obesity and risk factors for type 2 diabetes in high risk youth

Artificial pancreas holds promise for treating Type 1 diabetes

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

From Puberty to Menopause: Clue’s CEO, Audrey Tsang on the Power of Femtech

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