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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Now, once-a-week diabetes drug in the works -Kounteya Sinha

Now, once-a-week diabetes drug in the works -Kounteya Sinha

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published Published on Nov 24, 2012   modified Modified on Nov 24, 2012
-The Times of India

A once-a-week medicine for diabetics — a disease that affects nearly 63 million Indians — could soon become a reality.

Studies on diabetes have seen a global upsurge, with the latest data showing that bio-pharmaceutical research companies across the globe are busy developing 221 innovative new medicines.

The drugs, which will help around 347 million patients include new therapies that target key abnormalities of pancreatic cells, increase insulin secretion without significantly reducing blood sugar, have reduced dosage, minimize painful nerve damage and prevent diabetic kidney disease.

Examples of new cutting-edge approaches to fight diabetes include a once-daily medicine that selectively inhibits the protein associated with glucose metabolism, a drug designed to inhibit an enzyme linked to diabetic neuropathy and a medicine to treat type 2 diabetes that may allow for a once-a-week regimen.

A report, released by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), says that these medicines in development - all in either clinical trials or under review by the US' Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - include 32 for type 1 diabetes, type 2 (130) and diabetes-related conditions (64).

Since 1990, six new classes of diabetes type 2 medicines have been approved by the FDA, giving patients and providers powerful new tools to treat the condition. America's biopharmaceutical research companies continue to explore many different approaches to battle diabetes.

"Diabetes is a major public health challenge and an economic burden for patients, their families, healthcare providers and the entire nation. Future medical advancements are our best hope for lessening the burden of diabetes to patients, their families and society. The medicines in the pipeline represent an exciting new chapter in the ongoing quest to better treat this debilitating disease," said Dr A K Jhingan, chairman of Delhi Diabetic Research Centre.

India alone has 63 million people living with diabetes, second only to China (92.3 million), according to International Diabetes Federation (IDF). The prevalence is expected to rise sharply for a variety of reasons, including an aging population more likely to develop type 2 diabetes and longer lifespan among diabetes patients. If left untreated, diabetes can lead to severe health problems and complications, such as heart disease, stroke, vision loss and amputation. The last two decades have witnessed steady improvements in diabetes management across the world. Now, most blockbuster drugs are available within a year of their global launch in countries where industry-friendly policies exist.

Improved adherence to diabetes medications can lead to better health outcomes and reduced costs. A recent study in health affairs projected that improved adherence to diabetes medications could avert more than one million emergency room visits and close to 620,000 hospitalizations annually, for a total potential savings of $8.3 billion annually.

"Many of the human and economic costs associated with diabetes can be avoided, making improvement of patient adherence one of the best opportunities to get better results and greater value from our healthcare system," said PhRMA president John J Castellani. "This is by no means an easy task, but stakeholders throughout the healthcare system, including biopharmaceutical research companies, must work together to tackle this shared objective," he added.

Nearly 44 lakh Indians in their most productive years — aged between 20 and 79— aren't aware that they are diabetic, exposing them to heart attack, stroke, amputations, nerve damage, blindness and kidney ailments.

The diabetes epidemic in the country, which killed 10 lakh last year, has also thrown up an interesting trend. Contrary to popular perception, diabetes affects more people in rural India (34 million) than affluent urban Indians (28 million).

The gap between the number of diabetic men and women in India is also diminishing. While 33 million men are diabetic, 29 million women are affected by high blood sugar.


The Times of India, 24 November, 2012, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Now-once-a-week-diabetes-drug-in-the-works/articleshow/17342983.cms


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