Diabetes

WARSAW, Poland — Iceland-based drug maker Actavis and Poland-based Bioton have formed a partnership that they said would "shake up" the diabetes market.

Actavis and Bioton announced the signing of a $73.3 million deal to develop, manufacture and commercialize insulin products, including insulin analogues. Of that, Actavis will pay $29.4 million to Bioton when the deal is signed, while the rest will consist of milestone payments.

SAN DIEGO — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a long-acting injected diabetes drug made by Amylin Pharmaceuticals and Alkermes, the two companies said.

The FDA approved Bydureon (exenatide), which the companies called the first once-weekly treatment for Type 2 diabetes. The drug will become available in February.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — Lower-limb amputation is a very real risk for many of the 25.8 million Americans living with diabetes. Though this study may be encouraging, the job of reducing the incidence of diabetes — and in particular, educating people about the need to watch their diets, take their medications and take care of their bodies — remains far from complete, as other recent stories in the media have revealed.

Independent pharmacies with a significant business in diabetes supplies will be facing their next big challenge to that business in January 2013 when competitive bidding of durable medical equipment goes into effect for mail order, Chris Smith, director of policy and regulatory affairs for the National Association of Community Pharmacists, told Drug Store News.

NEW YORK — Walgreens and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation on Thursday jointly announced that Walgreens' community-based programs helped raise more than $1.4 million in 2011 for JDRF causes. The year marked the 20th anniversary of Walgreens' partnership with JDRF to raise funds for research to put an end to Type 1 diabetes.

PASADENA, Calif. — A human papillomavirus vaccine created by drug maker Merck does not cause autoimmune conditions after young women are inoculated, according to a new Kaiser Permanente study.

ATLANTA — CinSulin, based in Issaquah, Wash., is in the process of launching a cinnamon water extract to help maintain healthy blood-glucose levels for patients with prediabetes or Type 2 diabetes.

The extract contains a concentrated cinnamon extract through a proprietary process that separates the water-soluble components from unwanted fat-soluble components. The result is an extract that is on average 10 times stronger than the average cinnamon supplement, the company stated.

ATLANTA — Leg and foot amputations among patients diagnosed with diabetes saw a dramatic decline between 1996 and 2008, thanks to improvements in blood-sugar control, foot care and diabetes management, along with declines in cardiovascular disease, according to a new study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.