High hopes for pramlintide as treatment for diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Does the synthetic human amylin analogue pramlintide have blockbuster potential as a treatment for diabetes mellitus? Johnson & Johnson certainly appears confident about the drug’s potential, as demonstrated by the company’s continuing financial support of clinical trials with this agent. Indeed, if approval is granted for pramlintide, the drug will be the first new agent for treating insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) since the discovery of insulin 75 years ago. Currently, pramlintide is in phase III development with the US-based company Amylin Pharmaceuticals. This week, Inpharma ® looks at the drug’s efficacy in phase II trials, and its possible therapeutic niche as an adjunct to insulin therapy in the treatment of diabetes mellitus.