Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Eli Lilly launch SGLT disease education initiative

May 3 2013

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) today announced the launch of an educational campaign designed to provide healthcare professionals (HCPs) with a greater understanding of the role sodium glucose co-transporters (SGLTs) play in maintaining blood sugar balance, or glucose homeostasis.

The SGLT disease education initiative features the microsite www.SGLT.com and a short dynamic educational video, Glucose Perspectives, in the form of sketch animation by the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA). Additional learning options will be offered throughout the year for HCPs to learn more about SGLTs and their role in glucose homeostasis.

A chronic condition, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) is characterized by persistent high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia). The inability to maintain normal blood sugar balance is due either to an inability to respond properly to the hormone insulin, also known as insulin resistance, or to inadequate amounts of insulin in the body as a result of impaired beta-cell function, or a combination of the two.

SGLTs act to ensure glucose entering the kidneys finds its way back into the bloodstream instead of being passed in the urine. Nearly all of the filtered glucose is reabsorbed in the kidneys by sodium glucose co-transporters 1 and 2, with SGLT2 accounting for about 90 percent of this re-absorption.

In people with T2D, persistent hyperglycemia can lead to increased re-absorption of glucose through SGLT2. This means more glucose is being reabsorbed into the blood in a continuous action, which perpetuates hyperglycemia and worsens beta-cell function and insulin resistance.

"The contribution of insulin resistance and impaired beta-cell function in the physiopathology of type 2 diabetes mellitus has been extensively studied," said Christophe Arbet-Engels, MD, PhD, vice president, metabolic-clinical development and medical affairs, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. "The contributing role of persistently high glucose levels in the progression of type 2 diabetes has led to the need for a better understanding of how glucose is reabsorbed by the kidneys. The Boehringer Ingelheim and Lilly Diabetes alliance is very pleased to offer healthcare professionals an educational resource they can use at their convenience to gain greater knowledge of this process."

SOURCE Eli Lilly and Company; Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.