Amylin Gets $5M for Diabetes Drug Study

San Diego-based Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc. recently was awarded a $5 million milestone payment from Eli Lilly and Co. following a six-month study comparing its experimental drug exenatide to a man-made version of human insulin in Type II diabetics who failed to respond to oral drugs.

Amylin

In the study, more than 500 patients received either a variable dose of the human insulin at bedtime, or a fixed dose of exenatide twice daily just before breakfast and dinner in addition to their standard oral drugs.

The primary goal of the study was to achieve similar glucose control, and weight-control, a big problem for Type II diabetics.

The study also looked at incidences of hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, which can lead to nausea and life-threatening conditions, and safety and tolerability.

Exenatide is designed to lower blood sugar, but only when blood glucose levels rise too high. Amylin applied for exenatide's regulatory approval in June.

The company's stock, which trades on the Nasdaq stock exchange under the symbol AMLN, gained 10 cents to close at $20.10 on July 26.