(San Diego, CA) -- Life could become far simpler for diabetes sufferers this week. San Diego, California based Amylin Pharmaceuticals and Waltham, Massachusetts based Alkermes are hoping the FDA will approve a drug they've developed that will allow those with diabetes to inject themselves once a week to control blood sugar. The potion, exenatide, was created by Amylin based on technology developed by Alkermes. Clinical trials have shown the drug can control blood sugar more effectively with a single shot a week than with existing drugs that require two shots a day. It means an end to constant blood sugar monitoring with pinpricks.
An estimated 25-million people have diabetes in the U.S. and that number is expected by some health experts to double over the next 25 years. Investors in both Amylin and Alkermes have bid company stocks to near 52-week highs anticipating good news from the FDA which should make an announcement one way or the other by Friday. Some drug industry experts believe the approval could be delayed while the FDA asks for additiona, but minor, data from already completed clinical trials.
