Albiglutide: one more GLP-1 Analogue in the armamentarium

GlaxoSmithKline’s GLP 1 analogue, Albiglutide has received topline results from seven of the eight Harmony Phase 3 studies investigating the use of the drug in type 2 diabetes. GlaxoSmithKline will push ahead with plans to file albiglutide for regulatory approval, following the read-out from these series of clinical trials.

Albiglutide belongs to the same class of injectable GLP-1 medicines as Novo Nordisk's Victoza and Byetta, from Amylin Pharmaceuticals and Eli Lilly.

GSK announced findings from one trial testing albiglutide against Lilly's insulin drug Humalog given on top of Sanofi's Lantus. Patients taking albiglutide plus Lantus experienced a 0.82 percentage point reduction in HbA1c, a measure of blood sugar, while the group on Humalog plus Lantus had a reduction of 0.66. The albiglutide patients also lost an average 0.73 kg in weight while the others gained 0.81 kg.

By the end of 2012, GSK expects to have all the Phase III data required to support regulatory filing in house. The company did not specify when exactly it aimed to submit albiglutide for regulatory approval.