Sanofi-Aventis/Zealand's diabetes drug lixisenatide equal to Lilly's Byetta

3 February 2011

French drug major Sanofi-Aventis (Euronext: SAN) announced that the GetGoal-X Phase III study of lixisenatide, a once-daily GLP-1 receptor agonist licensed from Denmark’s Zealand Pharma (OMX: ZEAL), achieved its primary endpoint of non-inferiority in HbA1c reduction from baseline, compared with exenatide (Eli Lilly and Amylin’s Byetta) twice-daily.

Sanofi trails Novo Nordisk and Lilly in developing a GLP-1 product, said Peter Welford, an analyst at Jefferies International quoted by Bloomberg. However, in a note to investors yesterday he said that he nevertheless expects lixisenatide to have "blockbuster" sales.

Fewer hypoglycemic events

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