Strong Ph II data for Genzyme's second Gaucher drug eliglustat

Just days after agreeing acquisition terms with takeover suitor Sanofi-Aventis (Euronext: SAN; The Pharma Letter February 16), US biotech firm Genzyme (Nasdaq: GENZ) announced three-year follow-up data from patients enrolled in the Phase II clinical trial for its investigational oral therapy for Gaucher disease type 1, eliglustat tartrate, raising hope for a second treatment to add to its rare disease portfolio, which already includes Cerezyme (imiglucerase for injection) for Gaucher and Fabry disease agent Fabrazyme (agalsidase beta).

Sustained or further improvements were observed across all endpoints, including bone disease, at the three-year timepoint. The results were presented for the first time last week at the Lysosomal Disease Network WORLD Symposium in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.

Could help restore lost sales