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Biotech / Medical : Pharma News Only (pfe,mrk,wla, sgp, ahp, bmy, lly) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Anthony Wong who wrote (1289)	1/11/1999 7:01:00 AM
From: Anthony Wong	Respond to of 1722

Eli Lilly Launches Quick-Acting Insulin Product in Europe Bloomberg News January 10, 1999, 7:01 p.m. ET London, Jan. 11 (Bloomberg) -- Eli Lilly & Co. said it introduced a new, fast-acting version of its Humalog injected- insulin product in the U.K., Germany and Ireland, opening new markets for its third-biggest-selling group of products. Indianapolis-based Lilly, maker of the world's best-selling antidepressant Prozac, said it launched Humalog Mix25, a treatment for type-2 diabetes, in the three European countries. Humalog Mix25 is a quick-acting version of Humalog, one of three main Lilly insulin products sold in the U.S., Britain and elsewhere. The Lilly launch comes at a time of heightened competition in the $2.5 billion world market for treating type-2 diabetes, a chronic condition characterized by the body's inability to metabolize sugars correctly. Diabetes affects an estimated 135 million people worldwide, with the treatment market dominated by Lilly, Denmark's Novo Nordisk AS and Merck KGaA of Germany. New competitors, including Warner-Lambert Co. and others, are developing easier-to-use versions of diabetes drugs. ''Humalog's been quite successful in the U.S.,'' but current treatments are a poor match for what the pancreas does, said Peter Laing, analyst with SG Securities Ltd., referring to the organ that secretes natural insulin, which lowers blood sugar in healthy people. That means there is much room for improved treatments, Laing said. Lilly said in October that year-to-date sales of insulin products increased nine percent to $816.4 million, its third biggest-selling product group after the antidepressant Prozac and Zyprexa, a schizophrenia drug. Humalog sales in the third-quarter were $32 million, an 82 percent increase, Lilly said. To treat type-2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease, patients typically must inject insulin up to an hour before a meal to ensure their blood sugar level doesn't rise to dangerous levels when food digests. Humalog Mix25, however, can be injected immediately before or after a meal, making it easier to use, said Lilly. Laing said Humalog Mix25 is the first of a new group of faster-acting insulin products, although Hoechst AG and Novo Nordisk are close behind with similar products, all genetically engineered versions of naturally occurring insulin. Those products may face competition from Warner-Lambert Co.'s troglitazone and similar drugs in the ''glitazone'' class developed by SmithKline Beecham Plc and others, as well as Glucophage, co-marketed by Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. and Merck KGaA. All those are newer drugs that can be taken in tablet form rather that injected. --Dane Hamilton in the London newsroom (44-171) 330-7727/cor

To: Anthony Wong who wrote (1289)	1/11/1999 7:04:00 AM
From: Anthony Wong	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 1722

Elan Sees Sales of $2 Bln by 2003 as New Drugs Get Approved Bloomberg News January 10, 1999, 12:59 a.m. ET Elan Sees Sales of $2 Bln by 2003 as New Drugs Get Approved San Francisco, Jan. 10 (Bloomberg) -- Elan Corp., Ireland's No. 1 drugmaker, plans to boost annual sales to $2 billion by 2003 as new drug approvals and acquisitions boost sales of products it markets on its own. The Dublin-based company also said at an analysts meeting in San Francisco that it expects to meet a previously disclosed goal of $1 billion in annual sales by 2001. Elan has made a string of acquisitions in the U.S. in the past few years as it moves to transform itself into a major drugmaker that develops and sells its own drugs. It started out selling technology that helps competitors, such as Merck & Co. and Novartis AG, deliver drugs to the body through systems like skin patches and time-release capsules. The company also said it plans to begin this year safety trials on humans of compounds being studied in mice for their potential to prevent and treat Alzheimer's disease. Tests to study the their effectiveness could start next year, Elan Chairman and Chief Executive Donal Geaney said in an interview. ''We've got something substantial and real to test,'' Geaney said. It's taken more than 10 years of early-stage research to get to that point. Elan obtained the compounds in 1996, when it acquired California-based biotechnology company Athena Neurosciences Inc. In 1988, Athena established a research collaboration with drugmaker Eli Lilly & Co. So far, researchers have developed compounds that animal tests show have the potential to clear and prevent accumulation of a substance known as amyloid plaque, Geaney said. Elan has recently said little about the research into amyloid plaque, which it believes could play a major role in Alzheimer's disease. Acquisition Spree Elan took its first big step into the U.S. market with its acquisition of Athena. Since then, it's also acquired Neurex Corp., a developer of drugs for cardio-renal and neurological diseases; drug-sales company Carnrick Laboratories; drug-delivery company Sano Corp.; and NanoSystems LLC, the former drug-delivery unit of imaging-products maker Eastman Kodak Co. Geaney said his company probably will ''take a rest'' following that buying spree. Instead, it will look to license drugs in the three areas where Elan is focusing its efforts -- acute care, neurology and pain. At today's investor meeting, the company also said: -- In December, Elan submitted an application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration seeking approval of a drug known as NeuroBloc to treat the muscle disorder cervical dystonia. -- Elan has submitted a complete response to issues raised by the FDA related to its pending application for approval of the seizure drug Zonegran, which Elan licensed from Dainippon Pharmaceutical Co. of Japan. -- It plans to conduct initial safety tests this year on so- called cell-trafficking compounds, which are being studied to treat ailments including multiple sclerosis and asthma. -- By the end of the first quarter, Elan expects to submit applications with the FDA for approval of two drugs to treat pain and migraine headaches. --Jim Finkle in the San Francisco newsroom (415) 912-2996/jac