Solvay submits diabetes drug for EU approval

Solvay, the Belgian pharmaceutical company, has submitted Synordia, a diabetes treatment, to the European Medicines Evaluation Agency for centralised approval, which would pave the way for NICE appraisal in the UK.

The company describes Synordia as the first treatment to combine an antidiabetic and a lipid-lowering drug in the form of a single pill. Solvay said the product would be targeted at patients already stabilised using fenofibrate and metformin, who could find the new treatment more convenient.

Synordia was found to be effective and well-tolerated in phase III trials, while Solvay claims that previous trials have demonstrated Solvay’s use to patients with type two diabetes.

Werner Cautreels, Solvay’s chief executive officer, stated: “Synordia would represent a valuable treatment option for many type two diabetic patients, improving the quality of life for many men and women who struggle with this disease on a daily basis.”

“It reduces the number of tablets they need to take each day. Moreover, it is an important addition to the range of fenofibrate treatments we offer,” he added.

Solvay has pharmaceutical interests in fields as diverse as mental health, gastroenterology, cardiology, hormone replacement, gynaecology and andrology. It operates three major research centres in the EU and the US.

The company’s UK subsidiary is based in Southampton, where it employs over 160 people. In 2004, Solvay Healthcare received UK revenues of over 50 million pounds.

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