Lilly has acquired the rights to Locemia Solutions intranasal glucagon spray for the treatment of severe hypoglycaemia in people with diabetes.
Intranasal glucagon is currently in phase III development and could represent the first needle-less rescue treatment for hypoglycaemia, a condition which occurs when the body’s blood sugar falls very low.
The product allows Montreal-based Locemia’s glucagon nasal powder to be delivered via through a single-use, ready-to-use device.
Enrique Conterno, president of Lilly Diabetes, said: “If approved, glucagon nasal powder would be an important innovation for people with diabetes and an exciting addition to our product portfolio.
“Administration of glucagon is critical when people with diabetes experience a severe hypoglycaemic episode, and in an emergency situation, not having to reconstitute or inject the medicine would reduce the complexity in an already stressful situation.”
A recent survey by rival insulin-maker Novo Nordisk found that night-time hypoglycaemia occurs in 50% of people with diabetes. This proves to be very problematic as it can lead to unconsciousness and even death.
Dr Claude Piche, CEO of Locemia Solutions, said: “Locemia’s mission has been to find an innovative approach to make severe hypoglycaemia. We believe that, with Lilly’s leadership, a less complex approach to glucagon delivery could have a broad impact beyond just rescue treatment for insulin users and those who touch their lives.”
Lilly is currently ranked at number four in the market but is looking to have a more complete range of medicines, from oral drugs to insulins than any competitors.
Earlier this year in the US, Lilly and Boehringer Ingelheim launched Glyxambi (empagliflozin/linagliptin) – the first fixed-dose combination of two fast-growing diabetes drugs.