Lilly and BI agree diabetes alliance
Will collaborate on diabetes drug development
Eli Lilly and Boehringer Ingelheim have signed a deal to jointly develop and commercialise a pipeline of diabetes compounds to bring treatments to patients worldwide.
Under the agreement, Indianapolis, US-based Lilly will make an initial payment of b300m to Boehringer Ingelheim of Germany, which will also be eligible for up to €625m in regulatory milestones.
Eli Lilly in return will be eligible for up to US$650m in such payments. The companies will share ongoing development costs.
Diabetes affects an estimated 285 million adults worldwide.
The partners will jointly develop Boehringer Ingelheim's two oral diabetes agents—linagliptin and BI10773— and Lilly's two basal insulin analogues—LY2605541 and LY2963016. There is also an option to develop and commercialise Lilly's anti-TGF-beta monoclonal antibody.
Linagliptin is currently under regulatory review in the US, Europe and Japan, while BI10773 began enrolment in Phase III clinical trials last year.
Lilly's two basal insulin analogue candidates are expected to enter Phase III clinical testing in 2011. The anti-TGF-beta monoclonal antibody is currently in Phase II of clinical testing in patients with diabetes and chronic kidney disease.
‘This alliance expands our range of offerings for people with diabetes, strengthens our diabetes care capabilities and offers the prospect of near-term revenue opportunities as we address the upcoming loss of patent exclusivity for several of our products,’ said John Lechleiter, Lilly’s chairman and chief executive.
‘This cooperation will give Boehringer Ingelheim and Lilly the combined benefits of Lilly's expertise in the diabetes market and two basal insulin analogues as well as Boehringer Ingelheim's rich and innovative late-stage pipeline,’ said Andreas Barner, chairman of Boehringer Ingelheim.
