A patient injects herself with an insulin pen.
Guido Krzikowski | Bloomberg | fake images
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Good afternoon! The rivalry between Eli Lilly and Nordisk It extends beyond a class of diabetes and weight loss drugs called GLP-1.
The two drugmakers are also competing to develop once-a-week insulin injections.
Such injections could provide a longer-lasting and more convenient option than daily insulin and other common treatments for managing diabetes.
Patients with type 1 diabetes need insulin every day. Meanwhile, about a third of people with type 2 diabetes need insulin injections to keep their blood sugar within a healthy range, according to some estimates. But some resist or delay treatment due to discomfort and pain, among other reasons, which could worsen their health in the long term.
A successful weekly injection is also crucial for Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to maintain Dominance in the insulin market. Together, Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk and French drugmaker Sanofi represent about 90% of the insulin market in the United States and have faced political pressure to make these life-sustaining diabetes treatments more affordable.
The race to develop less frequent insulin heated up Thursday after Eli Lilly released positive initial data from two late-stage clinical trials of its weekly injection, called efsitera, in patients with type 2 diabetes. The company is also studying the experimental drug in patients with type 1 diabetes.
Efsitora is Eli Lilly's answer to Novo Nordisk's experimental weekly insulin injection, icodec.
In a note on Friday, TD Cowen analyst Steve Scala said the new data on Eli Lilly's efsitora appears “competitive” but “slightly inferior” to Novo Nordisk's icodec when compared across clinical trials. He added that Eli Lilly's shot is a year or two behind Novo Nordisk's.
Icodec was recently recommended for approval in Europe. A Food and Drug Administration advisory panel will also meet on Friday to discuss Novo Nordisk's application for approval in the US.
An employee checks insulin vials at the US pharmaceutical company Lilly's factory in Fegersheim, eastern France.
Patricio Hertzog | afp | fake images
Let's dive into the new data from Eli Lilly.
The pharmaceutical giant said efsitera was as effective in controlling blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes as commonly used daily insulin injections in two trials.
In one trial, called QWINT-2, Eli Lilly compared its insulin to a daily injection called insulin degludec. Novo Nordisk sells that product under the Tresiba brand.
The patients in the trial were using insulin for the first time and some of them were also taking a GLP-1 drug.
At the end of 52 weeks, patients treated with efsitera experienced a 1.34% reduction in their A1C (a marker of blood sugar levels over three months) compared to a 1.26% reduction with insulin degludec. Eli Lilly added that its injection was as effective in lowering A1C levels as daily insulin, regardless of whether patients were taking GLP-1 in the study.
The second study, called QWINT-4, compared Eli Lilly's efsitera with a daily injection called insulin glargine. Eli Lilly, Sanofi and other drug makers sell the treatment under different brand names.
The trial studied efsitera in a group of diabetic patients who had previously received multiple daily insulin injections. After 26 weeks, Eli Lilly's new weekly The injection and insulin glargine reduced A1C levels by 1.07%.
Eli Lilly said efsitera was “safe and well tolerated” by patients in both studies. The company will present full data from the QWINT-2 trial at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes annual meeting in September. Eli Lilly also expects initial results from three other late-stage studies later this year.
We'll be watching to see what that data looks like.
Feel free to send any tips, suggestions, story ideas, and facts to Annika at [email protected].
The latest in health technology
Uber announces new features for caregivers
Uber signs are seen on August 20, 2020 at Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, California.
Robyn Beck | AFP | fake images
Uber has recently announced a new feature that will make it easier for users to support their loved ones.
The feature, called Uber Caregiver, will allow people to add their caregivers directly to their profiles starting this summer. By doing so, caregivers can book trips for the people they support and order medical supplies, meals, and groceries on their behalf.
Swathi Bhat, chief product officer at Uber Health, said the company knows it's not just doctors and nurses who provide care to others. In fact, he noted that nearly 25% of Americans identify as caregivers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Caring for an elderly loved one can often be time-consuming, mentally and financially. That's why this summer we're launching Uber Caregiver,” Bhat said at Uber's annual Go-Get product showcase in New York City last week. pass.
Uber Caregiver marks an expansion of Uber's existing healthcare offerings. Bhat's team helps healthcare providers and insurance companies arrange rides for patients, as well as delivery of prescriptions, groceries, and other over-the-counter items through the Uber Health dashboard.
But by putting many of these functions directly within the reach of caregivers, it will be easier for regular people to help coordinate care, Bhat said.
Uber defined a caregiver as any trusted person over the age of 18. The feature will allow three-way chats between drivers, passengers and caregivers.
Additionally, Uber said rider insurance benefits can be applied where applicable to help minimize out-of-pocket costs. Uber Caregiver will initially support Medicaid beneficiaries, customers 65 and older with Medicare Advantage, and users with commercial insurance from their employers.
Caregivers can sign up to receive notifications when the feature supports other insurance providers.
Please feel free to send any tips, suggestions, story ideas, or information to Ashley at [email protected].
