Sanofi, Lexicon Pharmaceuticals team on diabetes drug in pipeline

PARIS and THE WOODLANDS, Texas — A new diabetes drug in the pipeline has Sanofi and Lexicon Pharmaceuticals working together as it goes through Phase 3 trials. The two companies on Friday announced a development and commercialization deal for sotagliflozin, which is currently undergoing Phase 3 trials for its efficacy treating type-1 diabetes and will enter Phase 3 trials for type-2 diabetes in early 2016.

 

“This agreement with Lexicon reinforces our commitment to helping people living with diabetes,” Sanofi EVP Pascale Witz said. “Adding sotagliflozin to our portfolio, which includes medicines at virtually every stage of the treatment pathway, highlights our focus on providing a large and diverse set of therapeutic options for people with this disease.”

 

Under the agreement, Lexicon will receive a $300 million up-front payment, with the ability to receive milestone payments up to $1.4 billion for development, regulatory and sales achievements. Sanofi will retain the license for manufacturing, developing and commercializing sotagliflozin.

 

“Lexicon firmly believes in the potential of sotagliflozin for patients living with diabetes,” Lexicon president and CEO Lonnel Coats said. “Sanofi's patient-centric focus in diabetes, and its rich history of innovation in diabetes, make it an exceedingly attractive partner which is well positioned to unlock the full potential of sotagliflozin for patients living with diabetes.”