Dec 13 2009
Nabe News in Brooklyn, New York recently reported that 183 new medicines are in development to fight diabetes. The report details a record number of drugs for this chronic disease currently in human clinical trials and awaiting approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The report was released by America's pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies (PhRMA).
Diabetics do not produce or properly use insulin, a hormone needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy. This chronic disease affects 24.7 percent of Brooklyn's adults, or 449,900 people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"This killer thrives in communities like ours, where poverty and fast food are prevalent," said Dr. Richard Becker, president and CEO of the Brooklyn Hospital Center.
Rep. Edolphus Towns, who suffers from diabetes, attended the event at the Brooklyn Hospital Center as well.
"Developing new drugs to treat diabetes here in New York City will help address one of the major diseases affecting our community," the lawmaker said. Of New York's five boroughs, Brooklyn has the second highest rate of diabetes.
According to PhRMA, one of the drugs in development significantly improves long-term blood sugar control and targets the dysfunction of pancreas cells, a dysfunction that causes high sugar level in type 2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease. Another medicine in development stimulates the release of insulin only when glucose levels become too high and by suppressing appetite in patients with type 2 diabetes.
"The medicines now in the research pipelines are contributing significantly to the incredible progress made by America's pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies in developing new treatments for diabetes and related conditions," said Ed Belkin, PhRMA vice president for communications and public affairs.
SOURCE Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America
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