Sanofi's Lyxumia® (lixisenatide) Statistically Superior to Rapid Acting Insulin for Body Weight Change with Similar Blood Sugar Control when Both are Added to Basal Insulin

PARIS, June 6, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

Sanofi (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY) announced today that Lyxumia^® (lixisenatide) met all co-primary endpoints in a clinical trial (GetGoal Duo-2) comparing its use as a once-daily add-on to basal insulin versus the addition of rapid acting insulin injected once each day at main meal (basal-plus) or three times daily at each meal (basal-bolus). Participants were adults with type 2 diabetes poorly controlled on basal insulin. Lixisenatide was shown to be non-inferior to both comparator insulin regimens for reduction in blood sugar (HbA_1c) and statistically superior to basal-bolus for body weight change, as co-primary endpoints for the study.  

"There is a need for expanding the options, beyond injectable rapid acting insulin, to facilitate advancing and further improving basal insulin replacement therapy," commented lead investigator Julio Rosenstock, M.D., Director of the Dallas Diabetes and Endocrine Center at Medical City. "This study shows that the addition oflixisenatide to basal insulin was meaningfully effective with some additional benefits over rapid acting insulin."

The study also showed that documented hypoglycemia was numerically lower in the lixisenatide group versus the group receiving rapid acting insulin once each day and significantly lower versus the group receiving rapid acting insulin three times each day.

"This study demonstrates that hypoglycemia and weight gain could be minimized while normalizing glycemia in patients using lixisenatide. Sanofi continues to develop our portfolio of treatments with an overarching goal of meeting the individual needs of as many people as possible living with diabetes," added Riccardo Perfetti, M.D., Vice President Medical Affairs, Global Diabetes at Sanofi.

The results will be shared with health authorities worldwide and will be included in the New Drug Application forlixisenatide, which is on track to be resubmitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the third-quarter of 2015, and they were presented at the 75th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association, Boston, MA, U.S. The abstract is titled: Advancing Basal Insulin Glargine with Prandial Lixisenatide QD vs InsulinGlulisine QD or TID in T2DM: The GetGoal Duo-2 Evidence-Based Trial (NCT01768559). (Rosenstock et al. Poster presentation 107-LB, June 7, 2015).

Results of Analysis  

The 26-week, randomized, open-label study compared the addition of once-daily lixisenatide (20 µg) to optimally titrated insulin glargine with/without metformin versus the addition of one daily injection (basal-plus) or three daily injections (basal-bolus) of insulin glulisine with or without metformin. Participants were predominantly obese and had been poorly controlled on basal insulin ± oral anti-diabetics (OADs) for at least 6 months prior to the study.

Lixisenatide was shown to be non-inferior to both comparator regimens for reduction in blood sugar (HbA_1c) (LS mean difference [95% CI]: -0.05% [-0.17 to 0.06] vs. basal-plus; 0.21% [0.10 to 0.33] vs. basal-bolus; mITTn=890), and superior to basal-bolus for body weight change (LS mean difference [95% CI]: -2.0kg [-2.6 to -1.4kg], p<0.0001 vs. basal-bolus). In addition, post-prandial glucose (PPG) was measured in patients treated before breakfast, and was significantly reduced with lixisenatide compared with both insulin glulisine regimens (LS mean difference [95% CI]: -37mg/dL [-59 to -15mg/dL] vs. basal-plus; -40md/dL [-61 to -19mg/dL] vs. basal-bolus).

Documented hypoglycemia was numerically and statistically lower with lixisenatide than with
basal-plus and basal-bolus, respectively (estimated rate ratio [95% CI]: 0.8 [0.5 to 1.1], p=0.123 vs. basal-plus; 0.5 [0.3 to 0.7], p<0.0001 vs. basal-bolus; safety n=893). Nausea events were higher with lixisenatide (25% of patients receiving lixisenatide experienced one or more nausea event, 2% of patients on basal-plus regimen, and 1% of patients on basal-bolus). Patients receiving lixisenatide also reported vomiting (9%) and diarrhea(7%).

About Lixisenatide   

Lixisenatide is a once-daily prandial glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) for the treatment of adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. GLP-1 is a naturally-occurring peptide hormone that is released within minutes after eating a meal. It is known to suppress glucagon secretion from pancreatic alpha cells and stimulate glucose-dependent insulin secretion by pancreatic beta cells.

Lixisenatide was in-licensed from Zealand Pharma A/S (NASDAQ OMX Copenhagen: ZEAL), http://www.zealandpharma.com , and was approved in Europe in 2013 for the treatment of adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus to achieve glycemiccontrol in combination with oral glucose-lowering medicinal products and/or basal insulin when these, together with diet and exercise, do not provide adequate glycemic control. Lixisenatide is currently approved in over 50 countries worldwide for the treatment of adults with type 2 diabetes, with commercial launches in most EU countries, Japan, Brazil, Mexico and other markets. Lyxumia is the proprietary name approved by the European Medicines Agency and other health authorities for the GLP-1 RA lixisenatide. Lixisenatide is an investigational product in the U.S. It will be resubmitted to the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in the third quarter of 2015. The proprietary name in the U.S. is under consideration.

About Sanofi Diabetes   

Sanofi strives to help people manage the complex challenge of diabetes by delivering innovative, integrated and personalized solutions. Driven by valuable insights that come from listening to and engaging with people living with diabetes, the Company is forming partnerships to offer diagnostics, therapies, services, and devices including blood glucose monitoring systems. Sanofi markets injectable, inhaled and oral medications for people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

About Sanofi  

Sanofi, a global healthcare leader, discovers, develops and distributes therapeutic solutions focused on patients' needs. Sanofi has core strengths in the field of healthcare with seven growth platforms: diabetes solutions, human vaccines, innovative drugs, consumer healthcare, emerging markets, animal health and Genzyme. Sanofi is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: SAN) and in New York (NYSE: SNY).

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