Lilly ‘remains committed to finding diabetes treatments’

The executive vice-president of Lilly has expressed the firm’s ongoing commitment to developing innovative and cost-effective means of addressing diabetes.

Steven Paul’s statement follows an announcement that the firm intended to cease pursuing its current AIR Insulin programme, hoped to become a treatment for diabetes types 1 and 2.

The clinical trials on the AIR project, conducted in partnership with Alkermes, have been brought to an end given uncertainties in the regulatory environment and an evaluation of the commercial potential of the scheme.

The firm was keen to emphasise that the phase III clinical developments were not brought to a close as a result of any safety concerns.

Mr Paul commented: While we are confident in our decision, we also recognise the disappointment of those patients who saw the potential benefit of AIR Insulin.

“As a leader in diabetes care, we remain committed to our mission to develop innovative, beneficial and cost-effective treatments for diabetic patients.”

In February, Lilly announced that it had received a positive opinion from the CHMP for the histologically-based use of Alimta for first-line treatment of lung cancer.