Sanofi and Lexicon Pharmaceuticals team up to develop sotagliflozi, a new diabetes drug

French pharmaceutical company Sanofi has partnered with Lexicon Pharmaceuticals to develop and commercialise sotagliflozi, a new diabetes drug.
Under the collaboratio, Sanofi will be responsible for clinical development and commercialisation of sotagliflozin for type 2 diabetes treatment worldwide. Texas-based Lexicon will oversee all clinical development activities relating to type 1 diabetes.
What is sotagliflozin?
Sotagliflozin is an oral dual inhibitor of sodium-glucose linked transporters 1 and 2 (SGLT-1 and SGLT-2). It is currently under study in two phase III trials in type 1 diabetes, while phase III trials in type 2 diabetes are scheduled for 2016.
SGLT-2 inhibitors work by helping the kidneys to lower blood glucose levels and are used to treat patients with type 2 diabetes. The drugs in this class include Forxiga (dapagliflozin), Invokana (canagliflozin) and Jardiance (empagliflozin).
Sotagliflozin has shown encouraging results in phase II trials so far, according to the two companies. The drug can improve HbA1c levels in patients with type 1 diabetes, and lead to reduced meal-time insulin doses. In type 2 diabetes studies, reduced HbA1c, weight loss and improved blood pressure are among the benefits.
No increase in hypoglycemic events has been seen with sotagliflozin compared to background therapy in phase II trials so far.
Pascale Witz, Sanofi executive vice president, global divisions and strategic development, said: “Adding sotagliflozin to our portfolio, which includes medicines at virtually every stage of the treatment pathway, highlights our focus on providing a large and diverse set of therapeutic options for people with this disease.”
Lonnel Coats, Lexicon President and chief executive officer, added: “It has been our strategy to focus our resources on the development of sotagliflozin for type 1 diabetes and to pursue a strategic partnership with respect to type 2 diabetes only if it would strengthen stakeholder value under a fully integrated diabetes program. We believe this arrangement with Sanofi achieves that objective.”