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Sanofi’s Diabetes Drug Has Possible Links To Cancer

Posted on: Saturday, 27 June 2009, 15:06 CDT

The European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) has announced a discovered link between French drug maker Sanofi-Aventis’ Lantus diabetes drug and cancer.

The EASD cited the findings of four studies found in the journal Diabetologia.

Experts admit the results were "far from conclusive but they do indicate the need for further investigation of this issue."

According to Reuters, Sanofi earned about 2.45 billion euros ($3.4 billion) from Lantus, also known as glargine, in 2008.

The insulin analog has been viewed as the next major source of income for Sanofi as drugs like Plavix and Lovenox are heading toward more competition from cheaper generic products.

Citigroup estimates projected that Lantus would make up more than 12 percent of sales in 2010 and about 22 percent of group earnings prior to tax and interest deductions.

In one study, German researchers monitored 127,031 patients who were on insulin. They found that malignancies were more common among diabetic patients who were using Lantus.

"Our analysis does not provide absolute proof that glargine promotes cancer," said Peter Sawicki, co-author of the study.

"Our study does, however, arouse an urgent suspicion which should have consequences for the treatment of patients."

Three other studies took place in Sweden, Scotland and the UK.

A study of 114,841 Swedish patients found that the use of Lantus doubled the risk of breast cancer among diabetics.

In Scotland, researchers studied 49,197 patients to find that those on Lantus had an increased risk of developing cancer.

And the much smaller UK study looked at 10,067 patients. Researchers from that study found no significant link between Lantus and an elevated risk of cancer.

"Data from clinical studies involving over 70,000 patients as well as data from post marketing surveillance covering 24 million patient years of experience confirm the safety profile of Lantus," Sanofi spokesman Geoffroy Bessaud told Dow Jones Newswires on Friday.

“A large combined analysis of the best available databases worldwide is the best way forward, and EASD and Sanofi-Aventis are pledged to carry this investigation forward until we have either confirmed these preliminary observations or, more hopefully, finally put them to rest,” researchers said in a written statement.

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On the Net:

• European Association for the Study of Diabetes
• Lantus
• Diabetologia

Source: redOrbit Staff & Wire Reports

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