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.

IRSF awards $2M for research into a cure for Rett syndrome

The International Rett Syndrome Foundation (IRSF) announced today that it is awarding grants totaling $2 million to support 18 innovative research projects in 2009. Each project will explore bold new ideas that have the potential to drive the field forward and speed the translation of research into treatments and a cure for Rett syndrome.

3 Oct 2009

Dapagliflozin with metformin reduces glycosylated hemoglobin level and body weight

Results from a 24-week phase 3 clinical study demonstrated that the investigational drug dapagliflozin, added to metformin, demonstrated significant mean reductions in the primary endpoint, glycosylated hemoglobin level (HbA1c) and in the secondary endpoint, fasting plasma glucose (FPG) in patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled with metformin alone, as compared to placebo plus metformin.

3 Oct 2009

Array BioPharma to present poster on ARRY-403 glucokinase activator

Array BioPharma Inc. today announced that a poster on ARRY-403, a novel, oral, glucokinase activator (GKA), will be presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes annual meeting, on October 2, 2009, in Vienna, Austria.

2 Oct 2009

Clinical study results demonstrate the efficacy of AFRESA inhalation powder

AFRESA (insulin human [rDNA origin]) Inhalation Powder, a well-tolerated, ultra rapid acting insulin, showed no significant changes in pulmonary function and sustained glycemic control in adult patients with type 2 diabetes over four years of continuous treatment, according to data presented today at the 45th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes.

2 Oct 2009

Orexigen's Empatic Phase 2b results demonstrate weight loss

Orexigen Therapeutics, Inc. today announced that its 24-week, Phase 2b trial for Empatic(TM) (bupropion SR/zonisamide SR), the Company's second late stage investigational combination drug for the treatment of obesity, met its primary efficacy endpoint by demonstrating statistically significantly greater weight loss for both Empatic doses compared to monotherapies and placebo.

1 Oct 2009

Phase 2 study of PH20 with regular human insulin confirms faster insulin absorption

Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc. today announced additional Phase 2 results that demonstrated faster insulin absorption and increased peak insulin concentrations in type 1 diabetic patients after co-administration of its recombinant hyaluronidase enzyme (rHuPH20 or PH20) with Humulin® R (regular human insulin), a mealtime insulin.

1 Oct 2009

Diamyd Medical signs agreement with Inclinix to conduct global Phase III program

Diamyd Medical announces today that the company has signed an agreement with Inclinix Inc., North Carolina, for accelerated recruitment of children and adolescents recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in the US Phase III study of the diabetes vaccine Diamyd(R).

1 Oct 2009

Treating mothers for mild gestational diabetes reduces infant deaths and birth-related complications

Treating pregnant women for mild gestational diabetes resulted in fewer cesarean sections and other serious birthing problems associated with larger than average babies, according to a study conducted in part at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

1 Oct 2009

Membrane-bound Fas ligand is essential for cell death: Researchers

Walter and Eliza Hall Institute researchers have put an end to a 10-year debate over which form of a molecular messenger called Fas ligand is responsible for killing cells during programmed cell death (also called apoptosis).

1 Oct 2009

Treatment of gestational diabetes benefits both infant and mother

A National Institutes of Health network study provided the first conclusive evidence that treating pregnant women who have even the mildest form of gestational diabetes can reduce the risk of common birth complications among infants, as well as blood pressure disorders among mothers.

1 Oct 2009

Sanofi-aventis announces study results comparing efficacy of Lantus to detemir

Sanofi-aventis announced today results of a head-to-head study providing further evidence on the efficacy of once-daily, 24-hour basal insulin Lantus(R) (insulin glargine (rDNA) injection) compared to twice-daily insulin detemir. The study was presented during the 45th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Vienna.

30 Sep 2009

Genetic factors play an important role in the development of type 1 diabetes

Under the direction of Prof. Dr. Anette Ziegler, scientists of the Diabetes Research Group at Helmholtz Zentrum München and Technische Universität München investigated the formation of antibodies to a zinc transporter in children with elevated risk for type 1 diabetes. The study provided indications of an early onset of the disease when specific antibodies in the blood and specific variants of the associated zinc transporter are present in the genome.

30 Sep 2009

AFRESA Inhalation Powder and AFRESA Inhaler NDA under FDA review

AFRESA® (insulin human [rDNA origin]) Inhalation Powder is a well-tolerated, ultra rapid acting insulin able to more closely replicate normal glucose suppression than currently available insulins, according to data presented at the 45th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes.

30 Sep 2009

Metabolic syndrome related to elevated levels of liver enzymes in obese teenagers

Researchers studying a large sample of adolescent American boys have found an association between metabolic syndrome, which is a complication of obesity, and elevated liver enzymes that mark potentially serious liver disease.

30 Sep 2009

Vitae receives 11Beta-HSD-1 program milestone payment from Boehringer Ingelheim

Vitae Pharmaceuticals, Inc., an integrated discovery and development company, today announced that it has earned an $8 million milestone payment from Boehringer Ingelheim for achievement of a performance milestone in their 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD)-1 diabetes and metabolic disease strategic alliance.

29 Sep 2009

Diabetics should monitor their blood sugar levels to improve metabolic status

Diabetes patients should always control their own blood sugar values if this leads to improvements in their treatment. This is the view advocated by Michael Nauck of the Bad Lauterberg Diabetes Center and his coauthors in the current issue of Deutsches Ärzteblatt International (Dtsch Arztebl Int 2009; 106[37]: 587-94), who discuss sensible approaches to blood glucose self-monitoring.

29 Sep 2009

Januvia in combination with metformin or taken alone lowers blood sugar

A post-hoc analysis, presented at the 45th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), of data pooled from studies of 104 weeks in duration showed ‘Januvia’ (sitagliptin), when taken alone or in combination with metformin, provided significant blood sugar lowering over two years.

29 Sep 2009

CIHR and CMAJ honour eight Canadian Health Researchers

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) today honoured eight outstanding Canadian individuals and teams with the first ever CIHR-CMAJ Top Canadian Achievements in Health Research Awards, which recognize and celebrate Canadian health research and innovation excellence.

29 Sep 2009

GlobalData's report on the diabetes care device market

MarketResearch.com has announced the addition of GlobalData's new report "Global Diabetes Care Devices Market Analysis and Forecasts to 2015," to their collection of Medical Device market reports.

29 Sep 2009

Halozyme Therapeutics announces Phase 1 clinical study to assess three insulin analogs

Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc. today announced the commencement of a Phase 1 clinical study that will assess the effects of three approved prandial (mealtime) insulin analogs administered with its proprietary rHuPH20 (PH20) hyaluronidase enzyme compared to each of the analogs alone. This randomized, three-way cross-over design, euglycemic clamp study will compare the postprandial pharmacokinetics (PK) and glucodynamics (GD) of the insulin analogs.

28 Sep 2009