Sanofi

FDA advisory committee votes on Zynquista(TM) (sotagliflozin) as treatment for adults with type 1 diabetes

FDA advisory committee votes on Zynquista(TM) (sotagliflozin) as treatment for adults with type 1 diabetes

PARIS and THE WOODLANDS, TX - January 17, 2019 - The Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committee of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today voted eight to eight on the question of whether the overall benefits of Zynquista^(TM)* (sotagliflozin) outweighed the risks to support approval. Sotagliflozin is an investigational oral dual SGLT1 and SGLT2 inhibitor under regulatory review as an adjunct to insulin for the treatment of adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D). While the FDA is not required to follow the committee's vote, the agency considers the committee's recommendations when making its decision, which is anticipated by March 22, 2019.

Sotagliflozin, developed by Sanofi and Lexicon, has the potential to be the first oral antidiabetic drug approved in the United States together with insulin therapy to improve glycemic (blood sugar) control in adults with T1D.

"We believe in the overall benefit-risk profile of sotagliflozin for adults with type 1 diabetes who lack adequate glycemic control using insulin alone," said Rachele Berria, MD, PhD, Global Vice President and Head of Diabetes Medical Affairs, Sanofi. "We will continue to work with the FDA through its review process to hopefully bring to patients a new treatment that can help people living with type 1 diabetes control their blood sugar and address some of the challenges of insulin-only therapy."

Sotagliflozin is an investigational oral dual inhibitor of two proteins responsible for glucose regulation known as sodium-dependent glucose co-transporter types 1 and 2 (SGLT1 and SGLT2). SGLT1 is responsible for glucose absorption in the gastrointestinal tract, and SGLT2 is responsible for glucose reabsorption by the kidney. About 1.3 million Americans have T1D and an estimated 40,000 people will be newly diagnosed each year in the U.S., according to the American Diabetes Association.

"In clinical trials, when used in combination with insulin therapy, sotagliflozin significantly improved glycemic control without increasing hypoglycemia," said Pablo Lapuerta, MD, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, Lexicon. "These results could not be achieved with insulin alone. Diabetic ketoacidosis is an inherent risk of type 1 diabetes and an increase was seen with sotagliflozin compared to insulin alone. We believe this can potentially be addressed with proper education and monitoring."