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INDIANAPOLIS — Drug maker Eli Lilly and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation will fund research to find ways to regenerate insulin-producing cells in patients with Type 1 diabetes.

The two announced Thursday that ideas included finding ways to grow new insulin-producing cells within a person’s body. Type 1 diabetes, also known as juvenile diabetes, is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks beta cells, the cells that allow the body to produce insulin. As many as 3 million people in the United States have Type 1 diabetes.

WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. — Merck’s vaccine for human papillomavirus is 89% effective in preventing genital warts in teenage boys and young men, according to a new study.

The phase-3 study of Gardasil (human papillomavirus quadrivalent [types 6, 11, 16 and 18] vaccine, recombinant) in boys and men ages 16 to 26 years was published in the Feb. 3 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. Human papillomavirus is the cause of genital and anal warts, and infection can increase the risk of developing cancer later in life.

BURLINGTON, Mass. — Eli Lilly’s and Amylin Pharmaceuticals’ Type 2 diabetes drug, Bydureon, appears to work better at promoting weight loss than drugs made by Takeda and Merck, but it could face a challenger of its own.

WASHINGTON — A new report developed by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America revealed that nearly 300 heart disease and stroke medicines are in development.

PhRMA said that while 299 medicines are in development by the nation's biopharmaceutical companies, there is a growing need for such drugs; African-Americans have a 1.5 times greater rate of heart disease death than other Americans and a 1.8 times greater rate of fatal stroke.

BAGSVÆRD, Denmark — A collection of relatively new products helped drive up sales and profits at Novo Nordisk, the Danish drug maker said Wednesday. 

Sales increased by 22% in the North American markets when measured in local currencies, and by 29% when measured in Danish kroner, the company said. Operating profits were $3.5 billion, a 16% increase over 2009.

WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J. — The Food and Drug Administration declined to approve a drug made by Eisai for treating gastroesophageal reflux disease, Eisai said Tuesday.

The drug maker announced its receipt of a complete response letter from the agency for its application for rabeprazole sodium extended-release capsules, a proton-pump inhibitor for GERD. The FDA delivers a complete response letter when it has finished reviewing a regulatory approval application, but issues remain that preclude final approval of the drug.

BASEL, Switzerland — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a Novartis vaccine for preventing meningococcal disease in children, the Swiss drug maker said.

Novartis announced the approval of Menveo (meningococcal [groups A, C, Y and W-135] oligosaccharide diphtheria CRM197 conjugate vaccine) for active immunization to prevent certain forms of meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis in children ages 2 to 10 years. The FDA approved the vaccine last year for use in adolescents and adults ages 11 to 55 years.

IRVINE, Calif. — Anticipating regulatory approval, MAP Pharmaceuticals and Allergan will collaborate to promote a drug for treating acute migraine to physicians.

The two companies announced the collaboration Monday for Levadex (dihydroergotamine), an inhaled drug. Phase-3 trials for the drug are finished, and MAP plans to submit an approval application for the drug to the Food and Drug Administration in the first half of this year.