Use of the once-weekly receptor agonist exenatide (Byetta, Amylin/Eli Lilly) showed better glucose control in diabetic patients who have suboptimal glucose control and where body weight and hypoglycemia were of concern, compared to a treatment with insulin glargine (Lantus, Sanofi Aventis) injection, according to DURATION-3 trial results presented at the annual American Diabetes Association (ADA) conference in Orlando, Fla., and simultaneously published in the June 24 edition of the Lancet.

Adding dapagliflozin to metformin as a treatment for type 2 diabetes patients who cannot reach adequate glucose control can improve glucose control and lower body weight without risk of hyperglycemia, according to trial results, presented at the annual conference of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) in Orlando, Fla., and published in the June 24 edition of the Lancet.

Generic pharmaceuticals company Actavis Group has appointed former Ratiopharm leader Claudio Albrecht, PhD, as its new CEO.

Metabolex, a private pharmaceutical company, has entered into a license and development agreement with Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, for the development of compounds to treat type 2 diabetes. Meanwhile, Diamyd Medical also is collaborating with Ortho-McNeil to develop and market its GAD65 antigen-based therapy to treat type 1 diabetes and other related conditions.

Novo Nordisk has re-initiated its phase 3 development for liraglutide (Victoza) as a treatment for obesity after the drug gained FDA approval for its indication to treat type 2 diabetes last January.

Kowa Pharmaceuticals America and Eli Lilly have made available Livalo (pitavastatin) tablets in U.S. retail pharmacies.

Esperion Therapeutics, a Plymouth, Mich.-based biopharmaceutical company, has established a collaborative research agreement with Cleveland Clinic to research targeting new HDL therapies to treat cardiovascular disease.

The FDA has launched a website that provides summary information about ongoing and completed post-marketing safety evaluations of adverse drug experience reports made to the agency for new drug applications and biologic license applications approved since Sept. 27, 2007.