What The Pfizer-Merck Diabetes Deal Teaches About Today's Pharma R&D

[Northerner]

Earlier today, Pfizer and Merck announced a new partnership in the area of diabetes drug research. The companies will join forces to develop and commercialize ertugliflozin (PF-04971729), an oral sodium glucose cotransporter (SGLT2) inhibitor for type 2 diabetes which is about to begin phase 3 studies. SGLT2 inhibitors are a new class of antidiabetic drugs, the first of which, J&J?s Invokana (generic name: canagliflozin), was approved by the FDA on March 29th. This is a very competitive field of research as evidenced by the number of companies with compounds in late development, including Lilly/Boehringer?s empagliflozin (NDA filed), Bristol-Myers/AstraZeneca?s dapagliflozin (phase 3) and Astellas? ipragliflozin (filed in Japan).

Despite this competition, Pfizer believes that ertugliflozin may prove to be the best in class.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/johnlam...diabetes-deal-teaches-about-todays-pharma-rd/