Servier Inks $1B Deal To Co-Develop Implantable Pump To Treat Type 2 Diabetes
By Lori Clapper
French pharmaceutical company Servier has partnered with start-up company Intarcia Therapeutic to develop and commercialize Intarcia’s drug-loaded implantable pump for those suffering from diabetes. It’s a deal that could be worth $1 billion overall, Intarcia announced last week.
Servier agreed to pay Intarcia $171 million upfront along with potential payments of $401 million near-term and three early stage regulatory milestones of $230 million. There could also be up to $650 million in additional development, regulatory, and sales milestones. As per the agreement, Servier would co-develop the devices for markets outside the United States, while Intarcia will continue to market the treatment within the U.S. and Japan, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The experimental matchstick-sized pump would deliver a continuous dose of the drug exenatide to patients for up to a year. If successful, the pump would solve what is a major issue in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes: most patients fail to take pills or take the regular injections needed to get their blood sugar under control.
“When we talk to patients with Type 2 diabetes, there is a huge burden of the treatment for them on their daily lives,” Pascal Touchon, Servier’s vice president, scientific cooperation and business development, said. He added how “important the innovation will be for patients and how large the potential might be if the innovation reaches patients.”
Intarcia performed late-stage studies, treating 520 patients with the pump. The results showed that when the device was used with standard oral medicines, it helped to significantly lower blood sugar, as compared to those who took standard oral medication alone. Two other late-phase studies are under way.
Nearly 382 million people are currently living with diabetes around the world, according to the International Diabetes Federation. The vast majority are afflicted with the Type 2 form of the disease, which is often associated with being overweight or obese.
The pump is not currently approved for sale, but the companies say they hope to submit it to regulators in early 2016.