Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) and Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMLN) welcomed the recent decision by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) on the use of BYETTA(R) (exenatide) in Scotland.
The decision states that exenatide is restricted for use in National Health Service (NHS) Scotland for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus in combination with metformin and/or sulphonylureas in patients who have not achieved adequate glycaemic control on maximally tolerated doses of these oral therapies.
Exenatide has shown non-inferiority to two insulin regimens with which it has been compared and has a beneficial effect on weight. It is restricted to use as an alternative to insulin in patients who have failed treatment on metformin and/or sulphonylureas and in whom insulin would be the next treatment option.
“Exenatide is the first incretin mimetic to be appraised by the SMC,” said Andrew Hotchkiss, General Manager at Lilly UK. “Diabetes affects 170,000 people in Scotland and we are delighted that the innovative nature of this new medicine and its potential benefit to patients has been recognised by the SMC.”
BYETTA is the first in a new class of medicines for the treatment of type 2 diabetes known as incretin mimetics.
As well as the positive guidance from the SMC on the use of BYETTA, there has recently been a reimbursement approval for BYETTA in Sweden where the Pharmaceutical Benefits Board (LFN) concluded that BYETTA should be reimbursed in the pharmaceutical benefits system for use in people with type 2 diabetes.