Eli Lilly, Boehringer Ingelheim launch collaboration to develop diabetes treatments (US)

"Eli Lilly will pay Boehringer Ingelheim $387.4 million and collaborate with the German drugmaker to develop diabetes drugs with the U.S. pharmaceutical company facing the expiration of some of its key patents. Lilly, based in Indianapolis, loses patent protection this year for its top-selling drug, the anti-psychotic Zyprexa, and faces the loss of some other key patents in the next few years. The drugmaker said Tuesday that the deal with Boehringer Ingelheim offers the potential of boosting near-term revenue. Lilly could receive more than $1 billion in future payments depending on how well the collaboration performs and whether the drugs under development reach certain sales milestones. Boehringer Ingelheim will be eligible for future payments totaling about $807 million. The collaboration includes two Lilly insulins expected to enter late-stage testing this year and a type 2 diabetes treatment from Boehringer Ingelheim that is being reviewed by regulators. Shares of Eli Lilly and Co. rose slightly in premarket trading" - AP

FDA: Eli Lilly blood thinner has clear benefits

U.S. Federal health officials said a blood thinner from Eli Lilly offers life-saving benefits over drugs currently on the market, though its use may have to be restricted due to bleeding side effects. The Food and Drug Administration is reviewing the highly anticipated drug, called prasugrel, as a therapy for patients with acute heart problems such as heart attacks, who face increased risk of blood clots. Lilly developed the drug with Japanese drugmaker Daiichi Sankyo. In a 357-page review posted online, FDA reviewers said the drug's effectiveness over the leading blood thinner Plavix "seems beyond question." Plavix, the second-best-selling prescription medicine in the world, is made by Bristol-Myers Squibb and Sanofi-Aventis. Like Plavix, pragrusel works by stopping components of blood, called platelets, from sticking together and clotting.