Novartis files IND in USA for oral calcitonin

Novartis has filed an Investigational New Drug application in the USAseeking approval to begin trials of an oral formulation of calcitonin developed in collaboration with Emisphere Technologies. Phase I trials of the product have already been completed successfully in the UK and show that the oral formulation can achieve therapeutically-relevant levels in the blood.

Novartis already markets calcitonin in injection and intranasal formulations and sales of these products are expected to reach 650 million Swiss francs ($383 million) in 2000, according to analysts at Sarasin.