Toujeo to treat Type 1 Diabetes; TauRx for Alzheimer’s patients

Sanofi’s Toujeo has received FDA recommendation for its expanded use in Type 1 Diabetes.

Toujeo is an insulin glargine injection to control the highs and lows of blood sugar in the body. Indicated to be used in adults and paediatric patients of age six and older.

Earlier, the injection was considered suitable and approved only for patients age 18 and older. The expanded approval came on the basis of successful results of the study EDITION JUNIOR. It was the first randomized, controlled study which compared the efficacy of Toujeo (insulin glargine 300 Units/mL) with Gla-100 (insulin glargine 100 Units/mL). Toujeo was successful in lowering the blood sugar in the period of six months.

Type 1 Diabetes incidence is rising worldwide. Around 1.25 million Americans have Type 1 diabetes. Moreover, the diagnosed Type 1 diabetes patients will reach 5 Million by 2050, as per according to a study.

Sanofi also has another insulin injection which it sells under the name of Lantus which is less concentrated (insulin glargine 100 Units/mL) as compared to Toujeo. Upon the approval of Toujeo, sales of Lantus dropped due to the efficacy of the former one. The year 2018 revealed the revenue Toujeo made for the company was around USD 840 Million.

Pfizer, Novartis and eleven other drugmakers have announced to invest a hefty amount of USD 2Million to advance Gene therapy.

The amount in total invested by Pfizer and Novartis individually is USD 600 Million and USD 500 Million respectively. The drug makers have planned to use the amount to make their own manufacturing units to develop the gene therapies to treat indications.

Gene therapies are novel treatment approaches to cure chronic diseases like cancer, beta-thalassemia, hepatitis, and cystic fibrosis. The treatment approach is an advanced way, which applies the use of the latest technology in it. Thus, the cost incurred is too high for both the therapy developing pharma companies and the patient undergoing the therapy.

Successfully approved gene therapies such as that of Bluebird Bio, Zynteglo, Novartis’ Zolgensma and Merck’s Keytruda are some of the blockbusters that promises a bright future and a disease-free life. However, they are attached to a huge price that not everyone is able to afford.

As per the pharma companies, setting up of their manufacturing unit will help them cut the expenses, prevent the delays due to contract manufacturing plants and monitor the standard norms of manufacturing therapies as per the US FDA standards.

TauRx, a leader in Alzheimer’s disease, has recently announced positive results for its drug hydromethylthionine (LMTM) in Alzheimer’s disease.

The analysis of trials is published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, more women than men have Alzheimer’s or other dementias.

Alzheimer’s disease attacks brain cells and neurotransmitters (chemicals that carry messages between brain cells), affecting the way your brain functions, your memory and the way you behave. It is also the most common form of dementia.

Previously known as LMTM, Hydromethylthionine is a WHO-approved drug, which blocks the collection of tau proteins in the brain. The company focused on the different treatment doses and pharmacological activities of the drug in the brain. The trials recruited more than 1000 patients suffering from mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease.