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FDA Expands Indication For Type 2 Diabetes Treatment Synjardy (Empagliflozin/Metformin Hydrochloride) To Include Treatment-Naïve Adults

RIDGEFIELD, Conn., and INDIANAPOLIS, July 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved an expanded indication for Synjardy (empagliflozin and metformin hydrochloride) tablets to include treatment-naïve adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Synjardy, from Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY), is indicated as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in adults with T2D when treatment with both empagliflozin and metformin is appropriate.

Synjardy is a combination of empagliflozin (Jardiance) and metformin — two medicines with complementary mechanisms of action — to help control blood glucose in adults with T2D. Empagliflozin, a sodium glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitor, removes excess glucose through the urine by blocking glucose re-absorption in the kidney. Metformin, a commonly prescribed initial treatment for T2D, lowers glucose production by the liver and its absorption in the intestine.

"Type 2 diabetes is a complex condition, which often requires that people take more than one treatment to manage their blood sugar," said Paul Fonteyne, president and CEO, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. "The expanded indication for Synjardy further validates the potential of this combination therapy to help adults with type 2 diabetes who are not at goal, including those already being treated and, now, those at the beginning of their treatment journey."

The Synjardy label was updated to include results from a phase III, double-blind, randomized, active-controlled study that evaluated the efficacy and safety of empagliflozin in combination with metformin as initial therapy compared with the individual components. In the study, at 24 weeks, the combination of empagliflozin 10 mg or 25 mg with metformin 1000 mg or 2000 mg resulted in significant reductions in A1C (a measure of average blood glucose over the past two to three months) compared with the corresponding dose of either component alone.

Synjardy can cause serious side effects, including Lactic Acidosis (a buildup of lactic acid in the blood). Metformin, one of the medicines in Synjardy, can cause lactic acidosis, a rare, but serious condition that can cause death. Lactic acidosis is a medical emergency and must be treated in a hospital. Synjardy is not for the treatment of type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis.

About Diabetes

Approximately 29 million Americans and an estimated 415 million people worldwide have diabetes, and nearly 28 percent of Americans with diabetes — totaling 8 million people — are undiagnosed. In the U.S., approximately 12 percent of those aged 20 and older have diabetes. T2D is the most common type, accounting for an estimated 90 to 95 percent of all diagnosed adult diabetes cases in the U.S. Diabetes is a chronic condition that occurs when the body either does not properly produce, or use, the hormone insulin.

Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly and Company

In January 2011, Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly and Company announced an alliance in diabetes that centers on compounds representing several of the largest diabetes treatment classes. This alliance leverages the strengths of two of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies. By joining forces, the companies demonstrate commitment in the care of patients with diabetes and stand together to focus on patient needs. Find out more about the alliance at www.boehringer-ingelheim.com or www.lilly.com.

About Boehringer Ingelheim

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., based in Ridgefield, CT, is the largest U.S. subsidiary of Boehringer Ingelheim Corporation.

Boehringer Ingelheim is one of the world's 20 leading pharmaceutical companies. Headquartered in Ingelheim, Germany, the company operates globally with 145 affiliates and more than 47,000 employees. Since its founding in 1885, the family-owned company has been committed to researching, developing, manufacturing and marketing novel treatments for human and veterinary medicine.

Boehringer Ingelheim is committed to improving lives and providing valuable services and support to patients and families. Our employees create and engage in programs that strengthen our communities. To learn more about how we make more health for more people, visit our Corporate Social Responsibility Report.

In 2015, Boehringer Ingelheim achieved net sales of about $15.8 billion dollars (14.8 billion euros). R&D expenditure corresponds to 20.3 percent of its net sales.

For more information please visit www.us.boehringer-ingelheim.com, or follow us on Twitter @BoehringerUS.

About Lilly Diabetes

Lilly has been a global leader in diabetes care since 1923, when we introduced the world's first commercial insulin. Today we are building upon this heritage by working to meet the diverse needs of people with diabetes and those who care for them. Through research and collaboration, a broad and growing product portfolio and a continued determination to provide real solutions—from medicines to support programs and more—we strive to make life better for all those affected by diabetes around the world. For more information, visit www.lillydiabetes.com.

About Eli Lilly and Company

Lilly is a global healthcare leader that unites caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world. We were founded more than a century ago by a man committed to creating high-quality medicines that meet real needs, and today we remain true to that mission in all our work. Across the globe, Lilly employees work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. To learn more about Lilly, please visit us at www.lilly.com and newsroom.lilly.com/social-channels.

This press release contains forward-looking statements (as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) about SYNJARDY as a treatment of adults with type 2 diabetes and reflects Lilly's current belief. However, as with any pharmaceutical product, there are substantial risks and uncertainties in the process of development and commercialization. Among other things, there can be no guarantee that future study results will be consistent with the results to date or that SYNJARDY will receive additional regulatory approvals. For further discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties, see Lilly's most recent Form 10-K and Form 10-Q filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by law, Lilly undertakes no duty to update forward-looking statements to reflect events after the date of this release.

Synjardy® and Jardiance® are registered trademarks of Boehringer Ingelheim.

SOURCE Eli Lilly and Company; Boehringer Ingelheim

Posted: July 2016

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