Sanofi-aventis Acquires from Ascendis Pharma Worldwide Rights on Drug-Delivery Technology in Diabetes and Related Disorders

December 21, 2010 – Innovative technology designed for sustained release of peptides and proteins – Sanofi-aventis (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY) and Ascendis Pharma (Ascendis) announced a global licensing and patent transfer agreement on Ascendis’ proprietary TransCon Linker and Hydrogel carrier technology, which allows for a drug compound to be released in the body in a precise, time-controlled fashion, creating a long-acting effect.
The technology creates transient bonds between larger molecules such as proteins and peptides, including insulin, and a carrier. This allows for tailor-made release profiles, with no initial burst and high drug load formulations. The TransCon Linker technology has shown promising results in preclinical studies in delivering insulin.

“We are excited about this promising technology to create next-generation products in the field of diabetes and related disorders,” commented Pierre Chancel, Senior Vice-President, Head of the Global Diabetes Division, sanofi-aventis. “Building on our achievements with Lantus®, our 24-hour insulin approved for use once a day, we hope to further improve the lives of people with diabetes by developing this innovative technology to offer biologicals that present an extended and controlled release of unmodified parent drugs, including insulin."... [PDF] Ascendis Pharma's Press Release - [PDF] Sanofi-aventis' Press Release -

Sanofi-aventis : innovative blood glucose monitoring self-management of diabetes devices to enhance

September 21, 2010 - Patient-centric approach and new mobile health technology – Sanofi-aventis (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY) announced the upcoming launch of the blood glucose monitoring (BGM) devices BGStar® and iBGStarTM, developed by sanofi-aventis and its partner AgaMatrix. Due to their convenience, accuracy and ease-of-use, BGStar® and iBGStar[TM] will help the decision-making process for people with diabetes and their healthcare professionals, with the aim of improving patient self-management. iBGStarTM connects to the iPhone® or iPod touch®. This is an important step towards sanofi-aventis’ vision of becoming the leader in global diabetes care by integrating innovative monitoring technology, therapeutic innovations, personalized services and support solutions.

BGStar® and iBGStar™ are planned to be made commercially available in the first markets in early 2011.
“Our patient-centric approach means we truly understand the challenges faced by people with diabetes,”... [PDF] Sanofi-aventis' Press Release -

Servier : Launch of IMIDIA, an Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) project to fight diabetes

June 14, 2010. IMIDIA (“Innovative Medicines Initiative for Diabetes”), a public private consortium funded by the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI), announced the launch of a project focusing on pancreatic islet cell function and survival. Academia, biotech and pharma industry have joined forces to develop biomarkers and tools to pave the way for improved disease management and ultimately provide a cure for diabetes.


Leading European experts from 14 academic institutions, 8 pharmaceutical research organizations and 1 biotech company in the area of pancreatic ß-cells (= the body’s own insulin producing cells) officially launched the IMIDIA project. The project is supported by the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI). IMI a unique Public Private Partnership between the pharmaceutical industry (represented by the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations / EFPIA) and the European Union. The EU contributes a total of EUR 1 billion over ten years, which is matched in-kind by the EFPIA member companies...

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...About IMIDIA:

The IMIDIA team, led by sanofi-aventis, Servier and the University of Lausanne is working on the generation of novel, patient centric tools, biomarkers, and fundamental knowledge on ß-cell organization to accelerate the path to improved diabetes management... Servier's Press Release -

Sanofi-aventis and Metabolex : Exclusive Worldwide Licensing Agreement for a Novel Oral Antidiabetic to treat Type II Diabetes

June 25, 2010 – Sanofi-aventis (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY) and Metabolex announced a global licensing agreement on MBX-2982, an oral agent, GPR119 receptor agonist, for the treatment of Type II Diabetes. GPR119 receptor agonists (or G-protein coupled receptor 119) are found to exert the effects on glucose metabolism by a dual mode of action affecting both insulin and GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) release. This innovative mechanism could offer improved glucose control over the existing oral diabetes therapies, with an additional potentially beneficial effect on weight.

Under this agreement, sanofi-aventis will receive an exclusive worldwide license to develop, manufacture and commercialize MBX-2982, currently in Phase II a, and related compounds.
“The new mechanism of action of MBX-2982 is very promising and we are excited to have identified Metabolex as our partner in this very competitive field”... [PDF] Sanofi-aventis' Press Release -

Sanofi-aventis : Once Daily Lixisenatide (AVE 0010) Given as Monotherapy Successfully Meets Phase III Study Endpoints in Diabetes

April 15, 2010 - Sanofi-aventis (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY) announced that the results of the first, placebo-controlled study of the GetGoal Phase III clinical trial program showed lixisenatide (AVE0010), a once-daily GLP-1 agonist, significantly reduced HbA1c vs. placebo with more patients achieving HbA1c...

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...Lixisenatide, a GLP-1, Glucagon-like peptide-1 agonist, is under development for the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. In the Phase IIb study, once-a-day dosing with lixisenatide was shown to be effective in lowering blood sugar with a good tolerability... Sanofi-Aventis' Press Relase -

CureDM Partners Novel Diabetes Treatment with Sanofi-Aventis

April 8, 2010 – CureDM, LLC announced that an agreement has been signed with Sanofi-Aventis (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY) for the exclusive worldwide license of Pancreate™, a novel islet neogenesis agent for the treatment of type 1 and type 2 diabetes. CureDM is a privately held biopharmaceutical company whose scientists discovered Pancreate™, a first-in-class human peptide therapeutic. Several key Composition of Matter and Use patents have been issued to CureDM for this potentially transforming treatment approach for diabetes.

“We are extremely pleased to have the opportunity to partner with one of the most innovative global pharmaceutical companies,”... [PDF] CureDM's Press Release - [PDF] Sanofi-Aventis' Press Release -

Sanofi-aventis & AgaMatrix : worldwide agreement on blood glucose monitoring (BGM) solutions

March 31, 2010 - Partnership to Contribute to Improved Quality of Diabetes Care - Sanofi-aventis (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY) and AgaMatrix Inc. announced that they have signed an agreement for the development, supply and commercialization of blood glucose monitoring (BGM) solutions.
Under the terms of the agreement, AgaMatrix and sanofi-aventis will co-develop innovative solutions in diabetes care with the aim to simplify patients’ and healthcare providers’ diabetes management experience. These BGM solutions will be exclusive to sanofi-aventis and are designed to be synergistic to sanofi-aventis’ diabetes portfolio.


“AgaMatrix provides us with an excellent opportunity to develop a comprehensive offer combining our leading insulins LANTUS® and APIDRA® with easy-to-use and reliable blood glucose monitors,”... [PDF]Sanofi-aventis' Press Release -

Sanofi-aventis : Newly Published Study Results Showed that Two Mealtime Insulin Dosing Algorithms were Effective for Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

July 22, 2008: The results from the “Adjust to Target in Type 2 Diabetes: Comparison of a Simple Algorithm to Carbohydrate Counting for Adjustment of Mealtime Insulin Glulisine” studyi, were published in the American Diabetes Association’s (ADA) medical journal, Diabetes Care. This study, using a basal-bolus insulin regimen with Lantus® (insulin glargine [rDNA origin] injection) once daily (basal insulin) and rapid-acting Apidra® (insulin glulisine [rDNA origin] injection) at mealtime (bolus insulin) demonstrated significant reductions in postprandial blood glucose and A1c using two different dosing algorithms.
The 24-week, multicenter, randomized, controlled study compared two algorithms for adjusting mealtime insulin (Apidra®) in 273 intent-to-treat patients with type 2 diabetes. Apidra® and Lantus® were adjusted weekly in both groups based on the previous week’s Self-Monitored Blood Glucose (SMBG) results... [PDF] Sanofi-aventis' Press Release -

Sanofi-aventis : Acomplia (rimonabant) significantly improved glucose control in type 2 diabetes patients treated with insulin

June 10, 2008 - Sanofi-aventis announced the results of ARPEGGIO, the first trial of rimonabant in patients with type 2 Diabetes, not adequately controlled with insulin therapy. These results were presented today at the 68th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association, in San Francisco.
Rimonabant 20 mg significantly improved HbA1c (a standard blood measure value that is indicative of a patients’ glucose for about two months) by 0.89% from the baseline value, and 0.64% over the control group. Glucose control was three times more pronounced when rimonabant was added than insulin and lifestyle advice alone.
The 368 type 2 diabetes patients participating to this 11-month trial had been treated with insulin for an average duration of six years prior to entering the study... [PDF] Sanofi-aventis' Press Release -

sanofi-aventis : Study Shows LANTUS Helped People Living with Type 2 Diabetes Reach the ADA’s Recommended Target for Blood Sugar Control

June 7, 2008 - Results from a new study presented at the American Diabetes Association's (ADA) 68th Annual Scientific Sessions reinforce the importance of promptly initiating insulin treatment when patients with type 2 diabetes are unable to achieve recommended glycemic targets with diet, exercise and oral diabetes medications alone. In the TULIP (Testing the Usefulness of Lantus(R) when Initiated Promptly in patients with type 2 diabetes) clinical study, 66 percent of patients who began treatment with the long-acting, basal insulin Lantus(R) (insulin glargine [rDNA origin] injection) achieved A1C <7%, style="text-decoration: underline;"> [PDF]sanofi-aventis' Press Release -

Zealand Pharma, Phase III program for AVE0010/ZP10

12 February 2008 - Sanofi-Aventis announced that after consultation with the healthcare authorities, the Phase III program for the GLP-1 agonist AVE0010/ZP10 licensed from Zealand Pharma A/S will begin in the first quarter of 2008.
The program will include over 3,000 diabetic patients and will evaluate a once-aday injection of AVE0010/ZP10 in combination with the principal existing treatments (metformin, sulfonylurea, insulin), as well as a comparison with exenatide and a monotherapy study......AVE0010/ZP10 is a glucagon-like peptide 1, or "GLP-1", receptor agonist developed for subcutaneous injection treatment of Type 2 Diabetes and incorporates Zealand Pharma's SIP® technology (Structured Induced Probe)... [PDF] Zealand's Press Release-