FDA OKs Sanofi's follow-on biologic of Lilly's diabetes drug Humalog
(Adds background, details on approval)
Dec 11 (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Monday it approved Sanofi SA's Admelog as the first follow-on biologic version of Eli Lilly and Co's fast-acting insulin, Humalog.
Admelog, generally taken just before meals, was approved for use in children older than three and adults with type 1 diabetes, as well as adults with type 2 diabetes.
Like Humalog, which earned Lilly $696.2 million in the latest quarter, the short-acting drug helps diabetics control blood sugar levels after eating.
Additionally, diabetics may need a long-acting insulin treatment to prevent blood sugar levels from fluctuating through the day.
Patients with type 1 diabetes require both types of insulin, while those with type 2 may not need a short-acting insulin.
Admelog's approval bolsters Sanofi's position in the diabetes treatment market after its blockbuster drug Lantus, a long-acting insulin, lost U.S. patent rights in 2015.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 30 million people in the United States have diabetes. ($1 = 0.8482 euros) (Reporting by Tamara Mathias in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva)
