Takeda pushes EU approval for diabetes drugs to 2012

Takeda Pharmaceutical has notified the European Medicines Agency that its mid-2009 marketing authorization applications (MAA) for alogliptin (SYR-322) and alogliptin/Actos (SYR-322-4833) have been postponed because it is initiating a long-term clinical trial for alogliptin.

The two-year study will evaluate the efficacy and safety of alogliptin compared to glipizide (Pfizer's Glucotrol) when used in combination with metformin in a targeted number of almost 2,500 subjects with type 2 diabetes whose blood sugar level is inadequately controlled with metformin. The Osaka, Japan-based Takeda is seeking to prove that alogliptin and alogliptin/Actos could be valuable new options for type 2 diabetes patients, especially when weight gain or hypoglycemia is of concern.

With the results from the additional study, Takeda said that its MAA submission will include a "more robust data set necessary to ensure its approval, and as a result, the target timing of MAAs is revised from the original plan of mid 2009 to 2012."

Alogliptin, which was discovered by Takeda's wholly owned U.S. subsidiary, Takeda San Diego, is a dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-4) inhibitor for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Around the web

RBMA President Peter Moffatt discusses declining reimbursement rates, recruiting challenges and the role of artificial intelligence in transforming the industry.

Deepak Bhatt, MD, director of the Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital and principal investigator of the TRANSFORM trial, explains an emerging technique for cardiac screening: combining coronary CT angiography with artificial intelligence for plaque analysis to create an approach similar to mammography.

A total of 16 cardiology practices from 12 states settled with the DOJ to resolve allegations they overbilled Medicare for imaging agents used to diagnose cardiovascular disease.